The US Department of Defense has a summery of what it considers Donald Rumsfeld's accomplishments over the past six years. It is full of errors, lies and wishful thinking. As well as irrelevance and bad math.
Overall: A multinational coalition has liberated 50 million people in Afghanistan and Iraq,...
Liberated 31 million Afghans from Taliban control and destroyed Al-Qaeda sanctuary – ...
Liberated 26.7 million Iraqis from a brutal dictatorship and turned over sovereignty of the country to an Iraqi government in 16 months.
How does 26.7 and 31 equal 50? It doesn't, so they can't even get the most basic facts right, that would in fact, be in their favor. This is the group that is fighting the wars abroad? No wonder it's chaos over there.
Cut form the above is this about the Taliban:
... conquering elements that successfully fought off the Soviet Union for over nine years – and stood up a Loya Jurga governing council eight months after operations began.
They ignore history. The Soviets were very successful at first, until the Afghans started fighting back in the same manner that they are now. We have won nothing in Afghanistan, but to Rumsfeld it's as good as a victory. As long as the first attack was won.
Then there is the number of security forces trained.
Recruited, Organized, Trained, and Equipped Iraqi and Afghan Security Forces:
129,000 for Iraqi Ministry of Defense
165,100 for Iraqi Ministry of Interior
33,000 for Afghan National Army
37,000 for Afghan National Police
But what they don't say is how inadequate the Iraqi military is. This Washington Post story details some of the problems that US forces have had in readying Iraqi forces. The Atlantic has this article called Why Iraq Has No Army. Doesn't sound like much to brag about. But Rumsfeld's proud, I'm sure.
Then there is the list of those captured or killed. I don't see him bragging about Bin Laden. The one guy who actually did attack the United States.
Then there is all the information on Missile Defense. In case the Soviets reform and start threatening us again, I guess. Never mind that most tests fail even when they are rigged to give the missiles a chance to intercept. But, who are we worried about? North Korea isn't going to attack us. The danger they pose is short range to South Korea. Terrorists will never use ICBM's to attack us. Dirty bombs, maybe. But the kind of weapons that a missile defense would protect us from, never.
And finally, he brags about the successful Katrina operation. What the hell? He's actually listing US response to Hurricane Katrina as a positive. It's a good thing he's gone, because he was nuts based on this list of his accomplishments.
Hopefully Gates will be at least sane for the next two years before the Democrats retake the white house.