“Oh, you mean THAT civil war in Iraq.”

File under: “Obvious statements of truth which will nonetheless be assailed by Republicans more loyal to party than country.”

Dick Durbin steps forward to echo the calls of 4, 5, no wait, make that SIX military generals whom have now asked for the ouster of Secretary of Defense Donald “Stuff Happens” Rumsfeld.

“This situation has gone from bad to terrible, and I think it’s time for new leadership in the Pentagon,” the Illinois Democrat told reporters.

Durbin, the Senate’s second-highest ranking Democrat, said he is talking to other lawmakers about the possibility of voting on whether they still have confidence in Rumsfeld.

“Let the Senate go on record,” he said.

His call comes after six retired generals have publicly called for Rumsfeld’s resignation, accusing him of mishandling the Iraq War, ignoring advice of field commanders and managing arrogantly.

“We can’t ignore that,” Durbin said. “We owe it to the soldiers to stand up for them and say if the policymakers at the top aren’t doing their job, they’ll be replaced.”
…

Obama weighs in with his comments, which, per his style, are more moderate but no less true:

“If the president wants to continue to be saddled by somebody who the military thinks is ineffective, then that is his authority as commander in chief, but I think it’s one more bit of bad judgment” Obama said Monday.”

I think the general assumption by many in the media, punditocracy and the public is that these generals are speaking out primarily because they are disappointed in Rumsfeld’s management of the wars in Afghanistan and particularly, Iraq.

However, this criticism of Rumsfeld must be evaluated within the context of media reports of redoubled planning efforts aimed at “regime change” in Iran. Once again, it appears Bush, Cheney, Rummy et al are preparing to take us to war with a country that does not yet have nuclear weapons, but might one day possess them. Now where have I heard that one before?

In my opinion, I think the outcry by the generals has more to do with Iran than Iraq. The generals have seen what a mess Rummy made of Iraq, they are hearing rumors and whispers of war in the corridors of power in Washington, and finally, their consciences have demanded that they speak up lest he takes us to war yet again.