Critics of Rumsfeld really mean Bush

_In a constitutional democracy
with a civilian commander-in-
chief, it would be considered
borderline treason for generals
to call for a president's resig-
nation. Generals rebel against
presidents in banana republics
and millitary dictatorships. In the
United States, the generals, out-
raged by the incompetence and
arrogance of their commander in
chief, with thousands of troops
either killed or maimed due to bad
planning under their watch, call
for the resignation of the secretary
of defense. It's the American and
courteous way of calling out the
man in the White House without
actually calling out the man in the
White House.
But as Americans we should see
through this smoke screen. The
six generals -- so far -- who have

now called for the removal of Don-
ald H. Rumsfeld are really talking
about his boss and their com-
mander in chief, George W. Bush.
The media sidestep this obvious
point because generals challenging
the Oval Office is just not done in
__________________
As Americans, we
should see through this
smoke screen.
the United States. We don't even
like to talk about it.
But it's obvious to the White
House, I'm sure. And their only re-
buttal, which assumes that we are
all idiots, is to have official mouth-
pieces for the Pentagon, the White
House and the Defense Depart-
ment challenge these generals and

question why they didn't speak up
before they "retired." Duh. This
ridiculous question comes from an
administration that labels journal-
ists, members of Congress and
other public figures who challenge
White House policy in Iraq as un-
patriotic Americans who are aiding
and abetting the enemy.
Imagine what they whould do to
generals who, under the law, could
actually be imprisoned or executed
for "not following orders."
And so the White House defends
Rumsfeld ["Commander in chief
gives Rumsfeld 'full support,' "
news story, April 15]. It must. The
growing Rumsfeld scandal is a
rather thin veil that barely masks
the truth. With Rumsfeld gone,
who would be left to blame?

William Stosine,
Iowa City, Iowa