US general calls for Rumsfeld's resignation

ISN SECURITY WATCH (Thursday, 13 April 2006: 14.53 CET) – A recently retired US army general who had commanded a division in Iraq has suggested that US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld resign, calling for a "fresh start in the Pentagon".

A number of former senior officers have made similar calls in the recent past.

Speaking to CNN on 12 April, retired two-star Major General John Batiste, who commanded an infantry division in Iraq a year ago, said: "We need a leader who understand teamwork, a leader who knows how to build teams, a leader that does it without intimidation."

Batiste's criticism of Rumsfeld follows the similar criticism from the armed forces, in recent weeks, by retired Marine Corps Lieutenant General Gregory Newbold, Army Major General Paul Eaton, and Marine Corps General Anthony Zini.

"[…] When decisions are made without taking into account sound military recommendations, sound military decision making, sound planning, then we're bound to make mistakes," Batiste told CNN.

Batiste retired on 1 November. His "Big Red One" division in Iraq was deployed in Tikrit for a year.

"Whether we agree or not with the war in Iraq, we are where we are, and we must succeed in this endeavor. Failure is frankly not an option," the general said.

In the meantime, US public opinion polls show declining support for the Iraq war, which has dragged on for three years now, with 2,360 US soldiers killed.