Gridlock News

Secretary Rumsfeld is resigning following the Republican losses of the 2006 midterm elections.  Rumsfeld was initially applauded for a swift victory in Iraq despite failing to head the advice of decades of military planning that called for an invasion force three times larger than the one used.

The initial swift victory was soon seen as a war that was won but a Peace that was lost.   Many feel that if Rumsfeld had taken the advice of military planners and utilized a force much larger that Iraq would have still been relieved of Saddam Hussein, but terrorists may not have been able to seize bastions of control.  Many also feel that if Weapons of mass destruction were present, locking down the country immediately after the invasion and locking down the borders would have prevented speculation that the weapons technology was secreted away to neighboring Syria or Iran.

Republicans lost the House of Representatives in an election that focused on the war in Iraq and even more so on Republicans that lost their reform instincts in favor of pork barrel spending and turning a blind eye to defense spending.  Democrats picked off every single Republican incumbent that had scandalous issues exposed running up to the election.  This gave Democrats an easy 8 seats out of the 15 that they picked up.

It won't be known for several weeks, but it could possibly also give the Democrats control over the Senate.

Rumsfeld was applauded for his initial military reformist style and his heroic personal efforts during the attacks on 9/11.  He later exhibited signs of being unable to adapt to changes on the ground in Iraq.  He also did not take personal responsibility for the torture and abuse that occurred under his command.  At the end of the day his brilliant battle strategy was trumped by his brilliant battle strategy, which could not foresee the needs of peace making and occupation.  He planned for a battle and ultimately lost a war.  Rumsfeld did not lose the election for Republicans.  Republicans did that to themselves. 

This election is probably less about what Democrats can do and more about what Republicans completely failed to do. 

They failed to reign in spending, they failed to maintain reform, they failed to win the peace in Iraq, and they are failing to achieve victory in the War on Terror.