firstsgtmike
09-11-03, 05:31 AM
Rumsfeld Sends More Boots to Iraq
Troops may follow, Defense secretary says. Additional footwear sends strong message
NEWSWEEK WEB EXCLUSIVE
Sept. 10 — In an effort to silence critics, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld today pledged to put more boots on the ground in Iraq and indicated that additional troops to wear those boots could follow sometime in the future.
“TO THOSE who have said there are not enough boots on the ground, I’m delighted to say that there will soon be more boots in Iraq than you can shake a stick at,” Rumsfeld said in a Pentagon briefing.
Acknowledging that sending additional boots to Iraq was not the same thing as sending troops, the Defense secretary said that the massive deployment of footwear alone sends a “strong message.”
“Once people see those boots, there can be little doubt in their minds that someday, somebody will be standing in them,” Rumsfeld said.
While denying that he was trying to fight the war in Iraq “on the cheap,” Rumsfeld did confirm that the Defense Department was planning to hold a bake sale on Thursday to cover some of the war’s escalating costs.
In addition, Rumsfeld said that the United States was considering charging Iran and North Korea annual dues for their continued membership in the Axis of Evil.
In exchange for their dues, Rumsfeld said, Iran and North Korea would remain axis members in good standing and would be entitled to a complimentary subscription to the Defense Department’s new magazine, Evildoer.
In other news, President Bush cited “significant” progress in Iraq, noting that some places in Iraq were now safer than some places in Afghanistan.
Troops may follow, Defense secretary says. Additional footwear sends strong message
NEWSWEEK WEB EXCLUSIVE
Sept. 10 — In an effort to silence critics, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld today pledged to put more boots on the ground in Iraq and indicated that additional troops to wear those boots could follow sometime in the future.
“TO THOSE who have said there are not enough boots on the ground, I’m delighted to say that there will soon be more boots in Iraq than you can shake a stick at,” Rumsfeld said in a Pentagon briefing.
Acknowledging that sending additional boots to Iraq was not the same thing as sending troops, the Defense secretary said that the massive deployment of footwear alone sends a “strong message.”
“Once people see those boots, there can be little doubt in their minds that someday, somebody will be standing in them,” Rumsfeld said.
While denying that he was trying to fight the war in Iraq “on the cheap,” Rumsfeld did confirm that the Defense Department was planning to hold a bake sale on Thursday to cover some of the war’s escalating costs.
In addition, Rumsfeld said that the United States was considering charging Iran and North Korea annual dues for their continued membership in the Axis of Evil.
In exchange for their dues, Rumsfeld said, Iran and North Korea would remain axis members in good standing and would be entitled to a complimentary subscription to the Defense Department’s new magazine, Evildoer.
In other news, President Bush cited “significant” progress in Iraq, noting that some places in Iraq were now safer than some places in Afghanistan.