*Ø* Blogmanac | Defense Memo: A Grim Outlook

Rummy and Shrub to scrap the Pentagon?

"WASHINGTON — The United States has no yardstick for measuring progress in the war on terrorism, has not 'yet made truly bold moves' in fighting al-Qaeda and other terror groups, and is in for a 'long, hard slog' in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a memo that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sent to top-ranking Defense officials last week.

"Despite upbeat statements by the Bush administration, the memo to Rumsfeld's top staff reveals significant doubts about progress in the struggle against terrorists. Rumsfeld says that 'it is not possible' to transform the Pentagon quickly enough to effectively fight the anti-terror war and that a "new institution' might be necessary to do that.

"The memo, which diverges sharply from Rumsfeld's mostly positive public comments, offers one of the most candid and sobering assessments to date of how top administration officials view the 2-year-old war on terrorism."
Source: USA Today via Common Dreams