Boehner: The Military’s Transformation Under Rumsfeld Has Been ‘Nothing Short Of Remarkable’

In the past few days, House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) has vigorously defended Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, saying that he is the “best thing that’s happened to the Pentagon in 25 years” and is doing a “marvelous job.”

Yesterday on CNN, Boehner stated that under the Bush administration, the military has undergone a “remarkable” transformation and “there’s only person in America who could have brought about that transformation and that’s Donald Rumsfeld.”

In reality, Rumsfeld’s mismanagement has pushed the all-volunteer force perilously close to its breaking point. Some highlights of Rumsfeld’s “remarkable” leadership:

• The military’s equipment is outdated, below standards: Forty-two percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans said their equipment was below the military standard of being 90 percent operational. Thirty-five percent said their Humvees and trucks were not up-armored when they arrived in-country.


• The military faces severe manpower shortages: Currently, the Army has “close to zero combat-ready brigades in reserve” and the National Guard is “in an even more dire situation than the active Army.” Sixty-three percent of all Iraq and Afghanistan veterans believe the Army and Marine Corps are overextended.