Secretary of Army Resigns over Walter Reed Scandal

The latest shoe to drop in the Walter Reed scandal - Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey has resigned amid speculation that the scandal's fallout could reach all the way to the White House.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates accepted the resignation of Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey on Friday amid a scandal over the quality of care given to injured troops recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"The problems at Walter Reed appear to be problems of leadership," Gates said at the Pentagon...

The White House said the president would name a bipartisan commission to assess whether the problems at Walter Reed existed at other facilities.

The action came after The Washington Post documented squalid living conditions for some outpatient soldiers at Walter Reed and bureaucratic problems that prevented many troops from getting adequate care...

The administration's response came amid growing outrage about the poor treatment of some veterans — and the prospect that it could backfire on the White House.

Link to FOX News story. (Only story available so far.)

UPDATE 1:24PM: Link to MSNBC (Associated Press) story (hat tip to olivia).

U.S. Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey resigned Friday as the Bush administration struggled to cope with the fallout from a scandal over substandard conditions for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

The surprise move came one day after Harvey fired the two-star general in charge of the medical center in response to disclosures of problems at the hospital compound.

Harvey has been the Army secretary since November 2004. His resignation was announced by Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

UPDATE 1:31PM: From the White House website - the personnel announcement of Francis J. Harvey's 2004 appointment.

UPDATE 2:06PM: PHOTOGRAPH POSTED HERE WAS INCORRECTLY SOURCED - REMOVED.

UPDATE 1:38PM: Link to Washington Post story - with news about the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's subpoena of recently-fired Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman for testimony on the Walter Reed scandal on Monday (hat tip to freelunch).

In a separate development, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said it is issuing a subpoena to compel Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, who was fired as commander of Walter Reed yesterday, to appear at hearing on Monday to testify about a controversial privatization effort at the Washington, D.C., hospital complex...

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, meanwhile, announced this afternoon that he has accepted the resignation of Francis J. Harvey as secretary of the Army, and he said the Army later today would name a new permanent replacement for Weightman...

Yesterday, the Army announced the firing of Weightman, the Walter Reed commander, and said it was "moving quickly to address issues regarding outpatient care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center." An Army statement said senior service leaders had "lost trust and confidence" in Weightman and that he was being replaced temporarily by Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, the surgeon general of the Army and commander of the U.S. Army Medical Command.

Kiley formerly served as Walter Reed commander for two years until he became surgeon general in 2004. Weightman held the post for a little more than six months before he was relieved yesterday. The decision to fire Weightman and replace him with Kiley surprised some Defense Department officials because soldiers, family members and veterans' advocates have complained that Kiley was long aware of Walter Reed's problems and did not act to improve its outpatient care.

UPDATE 1:55PM: MSNBC reports that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates asked Army Secretary Francis Harvey to resign because he was displeased over Harvey's choice of Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley as a replacement for fired Walter Reed commander Maj. Gen. George Weightman (hat tip to operculum).

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Harvey had resigned. But senior defense officials speaking on condition of anonymity said Gates had asked Harvey to leave. Gates was displeased that Harvey, after firing Maj. Gen. George Weightman as the head of Walter Reed, chose to name as Weightman's temporary replacement another general [Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley] whose role in the controversy was still in question.

"I am disappointed that some in the Army have not adequately appreciated the seriousness of the situation pertaining to outpatient care at Walter Reed," Gates said in the Pentagon briefing room. He took no questions from reporters.

Gates said a permanent replacement for Weightman would be announced by the Army later Friday.

UPDATE 2:11PM: MSNBC's Hardball (TV) reports the Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley will be replaced as Walter Reed commander by Maj. Gen. Eric Schoomaker. (second hat tip to olivia). This news is now reflected in the Washington Post article (second hat tip to freelunch).

UPDATE 2:22PM: From the U.S. Army website: Photograph of Rumsfeld congratulating Francis J. Harvey after his swearing in on Nov. 19, 2004.

The old "Rumsfeld Good Luck Handshake" works its magic yet again.

UPDATE 2:37PM: The U.S. Army website now has a news release up announcing Maj. Gen. Eric Schoomaker's assignment to command at Walter Reed, complete with basic biographical information. (third hat tip - hat trick? - to olivia).

UPDATE 2:56PM: From the comments: for one Kossack's view of how the Walter Reed scandal fits into the broader context of Republicans failing to support our troops, check out ilona's terrific list of diaries on this topic.

UPDATE 3:16PM: Dem Senators urge legislative, investigative action - Washington Post blog Capitol Briefing reports that Sens. Barack Obama and Claire McCaskill will introduce legislation mandating increased supervision of military hospitals, and Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Patty Murray are urging an Inspector General's investigation into the Walter Reed scandal (hat tip to inclusiveheart).

Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) will introduce legislation next week to require more frequent inspections of hospitals providing treatment to active-duty military personnel...

In addition, Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) wrote to Defense Secretary Robert Gates today demanding an inspector general's investigation into living conditions for the returning soldiers at Walter Reed.

UPDATE 3:36PM: CNN.com reports tha Undersecretary of the Army Peter Geren will temporarily take over the post of Secretary of the Army for Francis Harvey, who will leave on March 9 (second hat tip to operculum).

From Peter Geren's official Army biography:

Prior to joining the Department of Defense, Geren was an attorney and businessman in Fort Worth, Texas.

From 1989 until his retirement in 1997, Geren was a member of the U.S. Congress, representing the Twelfth Congressional District of Texas for four terms. He served on the Armed Services, Science & Technology and the Public Works and Transportation Committee during his tenure in the Congress.

UPDATE 4:18PM: As I'm preparing to head out for the evening, the resignation of Francis Harvey has hit the media big time - it's currently the top story at New York Times, CNN.com, MSNBC, Washington Post and FOX News. Drudge has the story "below the fold." If you'd like to keep following updates on this story, check recent comments in this diary or follow this link to a relevant Google News search, with the most recent stories at the top.

UPDATE 9:42PM: No major breaking news to report - but for some context, check out the top-notch diary What's behind the conditions at Walter Reed? Privatization by smitheus for a great explanation of how the administration's cozy connections to Halliburton and other private-sector companies led to the Walter Reed scandal. See also CNN's report on the "smoking gun" memo regarding privatization of Walter Reed, video hosted at the blog Crooks and Liars.

•  everybody's fault ...

  But BushCo's.

  Same old story.  I assume Francis Harvey will be receiving some sort of presidential medal of freedom soon.

  I have to say, however, that for some reason (although I disagree with him on pretty much everything) Gates strikes me as someone genuinely interested in what's best for America.  Kind of like Chuck Hagel.

  by ThirstyGator on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:22:45 PM PDT

  •  i have a very different impression of Gates

    I view him as a political operative first and foremost, whose main goal is to protect W not support our troops.  I don't get the same sense you do that he's genuinely interested in what's for American (can any Bush appointee be genuine???).  But I hope you're right.  I really do.

    by davidkc on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:30:52 PM PDT

    •  don't get me wrong

      There are A LOT of people I'd rather see in the job, but for some odd reason, his intentions seem more noble than most of the administration's (and certainly more so than Rummy's ever were).  But you know what they say about good intentions.

      by ThirstyGator on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:33:48 PM PDT

      •  He's actually a career CIA analyst

        a member of the beaurocracy that Bush so airily dismisses.

        by calipygian on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:35:57 PM PDT

        •  I bet he wanted out anyway

          for other reasons, and this is a chance for him to exit smelling like a rose.  Concerned, honorable, buck-stops-here kind of stand-up guy.  

          by lgmcp on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:38:22 PM PDT

          •  Yes Reason vs Excuse

            The Walter Reed scandal is bad enough but could the real reason for the secretary of the Army be resigning is because of the state of the military and that it's stretched so thin we have to send people into combat without training and equipment. It's still bushes responsibility but maybe this guy just had enough.

            by JML9999 on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:02:31 PM PDT

            •  We have a nurse shortage

              and limited spaces in the school programs for nursing, making it difficult to impossible for young people to seek out a career.  Maybe it's time our country address this ugly, old problem and start an education program (Didn't they do something like that for WWII?).  

              The military, our nation's hospitals and the public would all benefit.  Really, so would other countries, because right now we're importing their best nurses.

              by goodasgold on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:50:51 PM PDT

              •  Sorry did you mean to post on another thread?

                I'm having trouble making the connection between nurse training and Sec of Army.

                by JML9999 on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:55:55 PM PDT

                •  No. I was expanding on your comment above-

                  ...state of the military and that it's stretched so thin...

                  There are other areas that are "stretched thin" that may contribute to inadequate care for our soldiers.  We have a serious nursing shortage.  I'm sure it plays into the bigger picture of the mess.  It's all the same story and I'm just offering a suggestion for a partial solution.

                  I believe during WWII, the president and nation readied for the returning injured soldiers by recruiting and training nurses.

                   

                  by goodasgold on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:08:01 PM PDT

                  •  Ties into the "outsourced the aftercare" part

                    In my experience, privitization of government functions almost NEVER leads to the cost savings and service improvements touted.  All it does is add additional layers of paperwork and non-accountability between the servers and the served.

                    by lgmcp on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:44:56 PM PDT

                    •  and ultimately to

                      much higher prices for the taxpayers and/or ratepayers.

                      by alizard on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 04:20:20 PM PDT

        •  The Carlyle Connection is here..read and weep

          Army post candidate has ties to Carlyle

          http://www.sfgate.com/...

          Courtesy of a 2004 article from the San Francisco Chronicle..

          by ohcanada on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:21:24 PM PDT

      •  Well

        I guess you could call it progress that under Rummy someone would mess us big time and be rewarded with a medal of freedom, but now under Gates if they mess up they get fired, are given a nice cushy package and THEN get the medal of freedom.  Baby steps.

        by davidkc on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:39:43 PM PDT

        •  Surgeon General Kevin Kiley is still NOT axed?!

          That is THE guy.

          He ran the joint up until six months ago.

          He has been running it this way for no less than three years.

          There is something very wrong here.  Given the fact that they have put Kiley back in charge of Walter Reed.

          HE is the one that should have been gone FIRST.

          by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:49:22 PM PDT

          •  Why an OB/GYN like Kiley

            was running Walter Reed, I have no idea.

            by jillian on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:51:15 PM PDT

            •  Because he was cool with letting patients live

              in squalor.

              It doesn't matter what his specialty is as long as he has no scruples.

              by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:53:26 PM PDT

            •  Because they don't care about specialty

              At that level, they're selected for managemant ability, not because they practice a particular specialty.  Of course, it seems that he might have been a little deficient in that area, too.

              by leevank on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:58:09 PM PDT

              •  This choice would be consistant with the...

                ...Bush Administration mantra:

                "Every life is sacred. We care.... until they're born"

                by AmericanRiverCanyon on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 04:03:22 PM PDT

                •  Unless they are brain dead

                  and/or in a vegetative state.

                  by madgranny on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 07:32:59 PM PDT

            •  Veterinarian not available?

              Maybe that guy they put in charge of women's health?

              snark

              by operculum on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:59:15 PM PDT

            •  He'll have more time now to practice his love

              with women all across this country.

              by ticket punch on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:32:49 PM PDT

              •  Dang, you beat me to it

                exactly what I wanted to say...

                The Music Room.

                by madhaus on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 04:27:32 PM PDT

          •  Kiley

            He was on Diane Rehm last Monday along with Dana Priest and Anne Hull. He glossed over all their concerns, defended everything and offered no apology what so ever.  Then on the News Hour last week we had:

            LT. GEN. KEVIN KILEY, Army Surgeon General: We've got some safes. We've already got the microwaves on order.  

            and

            LT. GEN. KEVIN KILEY: Oh, I think the repairs are going to be done by the end of the week, with the exception of one thing, which is a leaky roof, which we need to wait for the roof to dry. The contractors have already told us we'll get that sealed up.

            AND

            I want to reset the thinking that, you know, while we have some issues here, this is not horrific, catastrophic failure at Walter Reed. I mean, these are not good. But you saw rooms that were perfectly acceptable.

            Microwaves?  Repairs done by the end of the week?  Reset the thinking? Heckuva a job, Kiley.

            by Cecile on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:04:18 PM PDT

      •  Not nobility - sanity.

        Gates' interest, as he sees it, are in some align with the national interest. Stories about Walter Reed, and nothing being done about it, of course get to the troops, who know that they're going to get injured and then treated like homeless people. Not a motivating reality. Unlike the other megalomaniacs, Gates probably doesn't want to change the world - just make it run well while he makes his tidy profit. IE, a civil servant - the reason why we professionalized it in the first place.

        by RandomSequence on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:48:12 PM PDT

    •  Not buying it. See my comment downthread.

      Gates is just doing damage control.  

      by Jbearlaw on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:15:29 PM PDT

    •  the story of Gates will be an interesting one

      I hope it comes out before I kick off this plane, cause I want to know what that little fu***r is really up to.

      by seesdifferent on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 04:26:04 PM PDT

  •  privatization

    one of the rescued diaries says that Waxman has issues a subpoena to talk about how privatization effected conditions at Walter Reed.

    But it couldn't be that. Because the private sector always does a better jon & at a cheaper price that the public sector. Always. snark

    link grabbed from front page:

    http://oversight.house.gov/...

    by anotherdemocrat on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:33:52 PM PDT

    •  I heard Joe Lieberman suggesting that this

      morning and I was LIVID.

      It isn't the institution - it is the PEOPLE running the institution.  The key culprit being George W. Bush and you can work your way down from there.

      by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:46:17 PM PDT

      •  well, what would you expect

        from a Rebublican senator?

        by anotherdemocrat on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:48:06 PM PDT

        •  Worrisome that Waxman is that dumb though.

          n/t

          by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:49:53 PM PDT

          •  huh?

            by perro amarillo on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:39:30 PM PDT

            •  If he is interested in privitization, I think he

              is being dumb.  Privatization is one of the things that has created a huge amount of the inefficiencies and costs in our military - not to mention our civilian healthcare system.

              All I could think when Lieberman was talking about it this morning was Bill Frist's family's hospital management group taking over Walter Reed.  That would be a BAD thing.

              by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:43:15 PM PDT

              •  I thought Waxman was investigating just that.

                Don't think he's promoting privitization.

                by perro amarillo on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:01:08 PM PDT

                •  privatization. Sheesh.

                  by perro amarillo on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:05:02 PM PDT

                •  Oh I didn't understand then.

                  It would help if they made it clearer in the way they wrote it though because the addition of a phrase like "the effects of" in front of privatization might indicate that they weren't investigating the "benefits" of that paractice.

                  by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:07:59 PM PDT

                  •  "Effects" with Bushco are mostly non-beneficial.

                    by perro amarillo on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:23:47 PM PDT

                    •  You'd be surprised at how often I've heard

                      Democrats suggest that privatization is an option that should be considered.  I call it the Ross Perot effect.  People bought that CEO president thing and we got Bush.

                      Privatization with its huge pitfalls in combination with BushCo is the worst possible nightmare.  But even taking BushCo out of the equation, privatization is a bad thing.

                      by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:27:15 PM PDT

    •  No no no

      You don't get the proper conclusion that BushCo wants you to draw from the Walter Reed disaster opportunity.  Privitization is exactly what's needed now!  Look what a mess these GOVERNMENT PEOPLE made of it!

      The Music Room.

      by madhaus on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 04:30:37 PM PDT

    •  IAP...

      The 'repairs/upkeep' at Reed had been outsourced to IAP (the wonderful crew that couldn't deliver ice after Katrina - not that they didn't get paid). IAP is run by a former Halliburton employee.

      I wonder how much work it would take to see the exact dollar amount that the Government has cut in checks to Halliburton, its subsidiaries, and any company run by a former employee/Cheney hunting buddy...the ones that didn't get shot.

      If nothing, Reed shows the problem with:

      1. Army thinking - can't tell a guy with no legs to walk it off

      2. That unions, even weak, useless, federal employee unions, are anathema to these people.

      I'm sure they'll spin it to show how inept the Govt and their employees are and why we need MORE outsourcing. It's the world we live in. Reverse logic actually works with these people.

      by Hedwig on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 05:38:53 PM PDT

      •  Simple Question

        Were the private sector employees responsible for keeping up building 18, union or non-union?

        best,

        john

        by jabney on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 06:07:00 PM PDT

        •  Good Question

          I would guess the original maintanence staff was civil service union members. They don't have to worry about that with sub-contractors. No evidence, but that is my experience.

          by Hedwig on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 09:34:20 PM PDT

      •  IAP overrun by ex-KBR and ex-Halliburton

        management.

        My first comment pimp.

        by littlesky on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 06:22:26 PM PDT

        •  Would be fascinated by....

          Wish I had a CBO or GAO report on every dime the Govt gave to Halliburton, KBR, and everyone who ever worked in the same company as The Dick. Also, a report on how much of the money was squandered or stolen by his buddies and how many soldiers died because they didn't have the right equipment, the equipment was crap, or they had no equipment at all. And, how many of those contracts were no-bid. Anyone got a SCI clearance and a month to waste? :) Easier to find out our nuclear secrets than what The Dick had for lunch last weekend...

          by Hedwig on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 09:38:32 PM PDT

  •  Scapegoat ...

    for the consequences of Bush's tax cuts. Bush could give a s**t about the disabled veterans; Harvey's only sin in Bush's eyes is bad PR.

    by berith on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:48:33 PM PDT

  •  In this case...

    ....it actually is the Secretary's fault.  As well as that of many other flag officers.

    They censored the visits to the hospital by Republican representatives and the wife of Sec. Rumsfeld.  That's an Army decision.

    by Jay Elias on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:21:03 PM PDT

  •  The White Hole President

    Reagan was called the "Teflon President", because nothing stuck to his. As testimony to how slippery he was, even the name didn't stick, the wingnuts successfully made that nickname stick to Clinton. The reality is that everything stuck to Clinton, he should have been called the Flypaper President.

    I was thinking that Bush is the real Teflon President, but on further reflection, teflon is like superglue compared to Dubya. I have a better analogy: Bush is the White Hole President.

    A White Hole is a theoretical reversal of a black hole, instead of having an escape velocity greater than the speed of light, an object approaching a white hole would have to exceed the speed of light just to enter it. Anything moving slower would just be deflected away.

    That's how it is with Bush's presidency. No matter the number and severity of the scandals, not only does nothing stick to Bush, but everything is deflected away from him. It's considered "improper" to expect Bush to he held responsible, even in the smallest way, for anything that goes wrong in his administration.

    by A Citizen on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:00:37 PM PDT

  •  A Halliburton guy,.. $friend to Bushco is running

    the privatiztion of care at Walter Reed.    No wonder the military is not getting treated.  

    The money is lining Bush & Co. pockets.

    by Pink Lady on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:27:19 PM PDT

    •  The Carlyle connection

      is mind boggling, friends of Dad in all the right places.

      by ohcanada on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 04:27:59 PM PDT

  •  IAP Worldwide privatization AT major fault CNN

    Here's Crooks & Liars link to the Brand NEW CNN story on IAP Worldwide's 120 Million 5 year Walter reed Contract - which includes resp. for Building Maintenance.

    • This Info about IAP Worldwide - I've been posting as my comments on Kos for DAYS...

    http://www.dailykos.com/...

    Now Finally MSM Media has caught on through the new Smoking Gun memo...

    http://www.crooksandliars.com/...

    IAP Worldwide Has ALSO just Bid 5 BILLION to Replace Halliburton as the Primary contractor in iraq to supply soldiers.  IAP Well connected Executives include - Dan Quayle,and former KBR executives...

    They also had the 118 Million award for post Katrina with criticism for their performance.

    Thanks.

    by Hiroprotag on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 06:58:37 PM PDT

    •  Does this mean this sordid part of the

      story will finally see daylight? Hallelujah!

      by madgranny on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 07:37:16 PM PDT

  •  Medal

    for the ACOE work on the New Orleans levees.

    by chigh on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 07:15:12 PM PDT

•  Tips/Flames

  Will post updates as they come in.

  by zeus4prez on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:22:48 PM PDT

  •  Nice catch! n/t

    by Noor B on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:42:22 PM PDT

  •  Photo

    The photo you link to is not Francis Harvey, but Dr. Arden L. Bement.

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/...

    by goon 01 on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:44:05 PM PDT

    •  My mistake - thanks

      Google images listed it as the Army Secretary, and I didn't double-check. Will try to find another photo.

      by zeus4prez on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:08:03 PM PDT

    •  I've posted a new photo of Harvey w/ Rumsfeld

      from the U.S. Army website. Rumsfeld is shaking Harvey's hand shortly after Harvey's November 2004 confirmation as Secretary of the Army.

      Sorry again about misattributing the original photo.

      by zeus4prez on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:04:44 PM PDT

      •  Undersecretary Geren will temp for Harvey

        http://www.cnn.com/...

        Gates said Undersecretary of the Army Peter Geren will temporarily take Harvey's place. Harvey will leave on March 9.

        Gotta a pic for Geren? lol

        by operculum on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:16:45 PM PDT

        •  Hey now.

          Geren was a Democratic Congressman (in TX-12) from 1989-1997.  He was the one who replaced the Speaker of the House Jim Wright when he resigned from Congress amidst a cloud of ethics violations.

          by BruinKid on Sat Mar 03, 2007 at 04:20:52 AM PDT

  •  Excellent diary

    and I like the way you have updated it.  Great job.

    by BlueInARedState on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:11:27 PM PDT

  •  Just thought you might be interested in this

    article about how Bush has announced that he is putting together a commission to investigate.

    As if Bush listens to his commissions.  Iraq Study Group anyone?

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...

    President Bush ordered a comprehensive review Friday of conditions at the nation's military and veteran hospitals in the wake of a scandal surrounding care for wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

    The White House said the president would name a bipartisan commission to assess whether the problems at Walter Reed existed at other facilities.

    by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:35:10 PM PDT

    •  Saw this in the first article...

      from FOX (top of diary), but you're right, this might be important. Bush doesn't listen to these bipartisan commissions, but the public does - remember all the press Richard Clarke's testimony to the 9/11 Commission got, and the report was a bestseller.

      These commissions do help the truth come out, and the next administration can enact the reforms the "Walter Reed Commission" suggests, if Bush does not.

      by zeus4prez on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:49:32 PM PDT

      •  asdf

        Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) wrote to Defense Secretary Robert Gates today demanding an inspector general's investigation into living conditions for the returning soldiers at Walter Reed.

        http://blog.washingtonpost.com/...

        An Inspector General's investigation would be much better.

        by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:54:52 PM PDT

        •  Good catch - thanks!

          I've updated the diary to reflect this.

          by zeus4prez on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:26:17 PM PDT

          •  You have done great work updating this story.

            I just thought I'd mention that.

            This diary is what a good "breaking" diary is supposed to look like as information comes to light.

            Kudos to you.  Thanks :)

            by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 04:47:11 PM PDT

      •  Oh, like HELL....

        ....if this son of a ***tch doesn't stop putting severely wounded veterans into black mold infested cockroach motels, we're going to IMPEACH the son of a ***tch.

        The black mold makes people very sick. This is even more disgusting than vermin infestation.

        by AmericanRiverCanyon on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 04:09:20 PM PDT

    •  you mean, commission to bury . . .

      by Cartoon Peril on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 05:10:33 PM PDT

  •  Exciting! History in real time and we are there!

        These updates are way better than TV surfing, with nice snark instead of commercials!   Cool.

    by kafkananda on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:48:33 PM PDT

  •  GREAT work with the updates

    And important small details. Many thanks. It'll be interesting to watch this play out.

    Not just "interesting" for the soldiers, though - vital.

    by javelina on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 04:30:22 PM PDT

•  Good, now could Bush, Cheney, and Rice do the

  same!

  by America08 on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:24:19 PM PDT

•  MSNBC Link

  here: Army secretary resigns

  by olivia on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:24:23 PM PDT

  •  WaPo and Times only have AP as well

    so far.

    by freelunch on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:27:13 PM PDT

    •  Here's the new Post story

      Army Secretary Resigns Amid Walter Reed Probe

      by freelunch on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:28:57 PM PDT

•  good riddance

  I hope Kiley is next.

  by davidkc on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:27:59 PM PDT

  •  Heckuva Job, Kiley

    When he's replaced Bush will appoint him to oversee Katrina relief.

    The Music Room.

    by madhaus on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 04:32:03 PM PDT

•  No real supprise

  a fish rots from the head down.

  by Something the Dog Said on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:29:06 PM PDT

  •  This fish is rotten to about the tail. n/t

    by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:51:14 PM PDT

    •  Oh, no doubt! n/t

      by Something the Dog Said on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:11:36 PM PDT

  •  The fish is rotten to the core

    ... but you're right, it started rotting from the head. The first time I heard that phrase was when Dukakis used it in the 1988 election. He backed off it pretty fast though, his "advisors" probably thought it was a "losing strategy" to suggest that Republicans be held accountable.

    by A Citizen on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:04:53 PM PDT

•  what about Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley?

  will he be filling in for the Army Sec. in the interim?

  by Trix on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:30:25 PM PDT

  •  kiley needs to get canned next n/t

    by davidkc on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:31:28 PM PDT

    •  I see a "Medal of Freedom" in his future (n/t)

      by Trix on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:34:50 PM PDT

      •  no doubt! n/t

        by davidkc on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:37:45 PM PDT

      •  it's a slam dunk!

        by Cartoon Peril on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 04:15:06 PM PDT

    •  Hmmmmmm...

      He's incompetent, he ignores problems, he lies like a dog, he has no compassion for the victims of a tragedy...

      Hey, everybody, I think we're looking at the next director of FEMA!

      by Shiborg on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 03:09:44 PM PDT

  •  Only as a stepping stone to acting Sec. Def. n/t

    by Shiborg on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:31:38 PM PDT

  •  Urine Man...as dubbed by AmericaBlog

    definitely needs to go.  He is the THIRD worst offender in this behind Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld (yeah...I know he is gone but he was around with what led to the situation)

    by Los Diablo on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:33:31 PM PDT

  •  Why is he back in charge?

    The Post's editorial about this was wonderful. It's particularly nice that this is a classic problem that won't be ignored by the Republicans in Congress, no matter how much the White House and Pentagon may wish it to happen.

    Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.) and his wife say they repeatedly told Gen. Kiley about unhealthful conditions in outpatient facilities.
    ...
    As Mr. Young said yesterday of Gen. Weightman, "I don't know him. But I know he's the fall guy."

    by freelunch on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:40:03 PM PDT

    •  That is what I want to know. n/t

      by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 01:51:58 PM PDT

      •  Probably what Gates wanted to know, too.

        I have no idea how good Harvey was, but he clearly has a tin ear for PR. You don't fire a relatively new general and bring back the one who is most closely related to the scandal. Even a marketing moron knows that.

        by freelunch on Fri Mar 02, 2007 at 02:17:47 PM PDT

        •  The reason you bring back the guy who