Backlash

Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Calls Libyan War 'Worrisome'

Says mission lacks coherent end goal.

Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld criticized the White House Wednesday for lacking “clarity” in the Libyan mission, and said “only time will tell” if the military will be successful. “The reluctance and the ambivalence that we’ve seen reflected, I think, is possibly worrisome for the people of the military,” Rumsfeld said in an interview with Politico. Rumsfeld said the White House is relying on the foreign coalition to determine what the mission is—and he believes “the mission should determine the coalition.” He said the only clear goal he has seen is the establishment of the no-fly zone. Although President Obama has been criticized for not getting Congress’ approval before going into Libya, Rumsfeld said he “could understand” why Obama didn’t, saying “you had to have decided before the fact with some precision and some clarity, as to what the mission would be” before going to Congress.