Unlike Kerry’s statement, this one wasn’t a botched joke – Boehner actually thinks that the entire Iraq debacle belongs at the feet of our serving military, not with the civilian leaders who tied their hands.
[quote]House Majority Leader John Boehner: Wolf, I understand that, but let’s not blame what’s happening in Iraq on Rumsfeld.
Wolf Blitzer: But he’s in charge of the military.
House Majority Leader John Boehner: But the fact is the generals on the ground are in charge and he works closely with them and the president.[/quote]
“On Secretary Rumsfeld, I have asked him to fight two fronts in the war on terror – Afghanistan and Iraq – as well as transform our military. Any one of those would have been a lot for any secretary of defense to handle. He’s handled all three at the same time, and I’m pleased with the progress we’re making. I fully recognize the war on terror is a tough fight, and I understand how hard it is to transform the military so that the military is able to meet the threats of the 21st century. But his record, in terms of transformation, is going to be remarkable.”
– President Bush, 29Nov2006
No contradiction there, of course.
Why do the Republicans hate America and its troops so much?