Proof that Don Rumsfeld was actually a closet crusader? No, more like proof that Rumsfeld tried to speak Bush’s language in the early days of the war to give him strength as the first casualties were taken.

That’s an awfully nice way to say “…proof that Rumsfeld was willing to cynically manipulate the President’s religiosity for his own purposes.”

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Nice dodge but if a quote from the Koran were on any of Obama’s briefings – no matter how benign the quote I’m sure you would find a conspiracy in it and your love of mixing religion with intell documents would screech to a halt – at least for Obama.

Bradky on May 18, 2009 at 4:58 AM

Well, yeah, because we are 99.9% more Christian, Jewish, Mormon, then Islamic.
There are probably as many “satanists” then people who read the Koran in America, I wouldn’t think the President would include a verse from some “Book of Satan”.
I would expect the Middle East countries to do the same with the Koran, quote the Koran and not the Bible.
Nothing wrong with quoting from the book that has inspired millions, from the founding fathers to the current leaders. No other book has outsold, been “out quoted”, and read by so many for inspiration.

We are still at war.
There are men and women still out there fighting.

I AM PROUD TO HAVE SERVED WITH DONALD RUMSFELD AS MY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.

Rumsfeld was, has always been, and still is – a GOOD MAN. He’s done a lot for this country. He’s sacrificed – and he’s never let politics get in front of protecting this nation.

Bible quotes are cool too. Whatever.

HondaV65 on May 17, 2009

If all we ever had to lead us or run the government was Bush, Rumsfeld and Bible quotes,,,, I will take them any day of the week over this current mess we have in DC.
Bill Clinton stands to this day accused of rape. And what of Obama???
I read the slide show. These were purely inspirational quotes from the Bible. A Presidential meeting uses Bible quotes in a slide show for inspiration at a time of war is more controversial to the press than anything Obama is doing or has said or has done?
The average guy on the street would be more bothered by Bill Ayers relationship to Obama than Rumsfeld using Bible quotes for inspiration in a meeting. This bothers the press.
It’s a scandal to them. Not to Americans. But they may try to make it one. They need made up scandals to distract from all the real scandals going on in this administration.

Dreadnought on May 18, 2009 at 12:44 AM

Nice dodge but if a quote from the Koran were on any of Obama’s briefings – no matter how benign the quote I’m sure you would find a conspiracy in it and your love of mixing religion with intell documents would screech to a halt – at least for Obama.

Why anyone would take up for that clown Rumsfeld is beyond me. He pretty much destroyed Bush’s presidency, single handedly.
therightwinger on May 17, 2009 at 10:57 PM

hardly

Of all the stupid people in the Bush administration, not counting Bush, which included Powell, McClellan, Clarke, a slew of secretaries, Brownie, Bush’s ecumenical buddies, Bushes open border supporters, Bush’s no child left behind buddies, we cannot include Rumsfeld who was anything but stupid.

Powell entered the State department like a king entering a kingdom and he ran it with a mission to protect it from Bush. That was not to the advantage of the country. He has spent most of his time since taking down that Presidency as if he had no part in undermining it

I would say Rumsfeld had as much to do with ‘destroying’ the Bush administration as the other really smart guy in the Bush crowd: Cheney. If there were more like those two, the GOP would still be a party today

Why a pack of clowns needs erase Runsfeld from the history books is a question worth pondering. The sudden and growing attack on Rumsfeld as idiot, manipulator, and liar has smowballed as the real idiots in the Bush camp begin to devour their tails. The left plays background music to this game, since the left hated and feared Rumsfeld because of his talent, not because he lacked talent.

IRAQ HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SEPT 11TH!!!!!

No connection was ever found!

DustyGreen on May 17, 2009 at 4:55 PM

In case some of you doubters have not noticed, Al Queda is not the only terrorist group in the world. After Saddam Hussein was run out of Bagdad, and his sons and henchmen captured or killed, the daily suicide bombings in Israel all but stopped. Hussein was paying the Palestinian bomber’s families money to kill Israelis remember? Oh, how soon we forget!

If they had begun with quotes from the Koran and were in this administration I’m sure you would see all sorts of wrong with that. Say it with me “Separation of church and state” there I knew you could….

Bradky on May 17, 2009 at 11:42 PM

If you think separation of church and state means that government documents can’t carry quotes from the Bible (a rather important piece of Western leterature, yes?) you really need to go back and read the First Amendment.

All of it.

Say it with me “Separation of church and state” there I knew you could….

Bradky on May 17, 2009 at 11:42 PM

You apparently have no idea what the meaning of “separation of church and state” means.

Our forefathers instituted this as “Freedom of Religion” so that the government could not dictate our religious values.

The fact that scripture or references to God (which is on our money,our courthouses and public buildings,and even in our pledge of allegiance) was quoted in cover sheets is in no way any kind of violation of “church and state” and is not proof that religion was forced on the populace.

If invoking God is some kind of crime now,you had better get the memo to your liberal hero Obama:

Jim Geraghty reports on Barack Obama’s statement on the sanctity of human life during today’s National Prayer Breakfast:
“We know there is no God who condones the killing of an innocent human being.”

That fits in real well with bombing villages and killing civilians right liberal.

How about infanticide and partial birth abortion.
No problem killing those kids either as long as you don’t pour water on their faces or stick caterpillars in their cribs.

How about gay marriage.
You know the policy that liberals have been spouting their bigotry and hatred at Miss California for having the same opinion as Obama:

The difference, Mr. Obama has told them, is religion.
As a Christian — he is a member of the United Church of Christ — Mr. Obama believes that marriage is a sacred union, a blessing from God, and one that is intended for a man and a woman exclusively, according to these supporters and Obama campaign advisers.

Dam#,Obama is some kind of a religious nut right liberal.

This stance is even better because the liberals hero here states that ..hold on now…..this is going to hurt…..God helps obama make his decisions.
As President,you liberals know that his “decisions” are concerning policy right:

Obama’s prayer

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/228/story_22894_1.html

By the way, an alert reader spotted this exchange from Barack Obama’s January interview with Beliefnet.com:

Q: Is it difficult in the rough and tumble of campaign politics to stick to that, to live out your faith? And can you talk about whether you have a favorite prayer or what you pray about?

Obama: The prayer that I tell myself every night is a fairly simple one: I ask in the name of Jesus Christ that my sins are forgiven, that my family is protected and that I am an instrument of God’s will. I’m constantly trying to align myself to what I think he calls on me to do. And sometimes you hear it strongly and sometimes that voice is more muted.

INSTRUMENT OF GOD’S WILL!!!!

CONSTANTLY TRYING TO ALIGN MYSELF TO WHAT I THINK HE CALLS ON ME TO DO !!!!!!!!

It’s like he is just some sort of puppet of the great Theocracy Conspiracy and wants to turn us all into crazy praying zombies.

Quick liberals…..run….run fast….run awayyyyyyyyyy
before he makes you say Merry Christmas or the Pledge of Allegiance.

“OUT OF THE BASEMENTS, INTO THE STREETS! OUT OF THE BASEMENTS, INTO THE STREETS!…”

Tell me this wouldn’t pass for an argument in Bush’s mind.

radiofreevillage on May 17, 2009 at 3:15 PM

No point in arguing with nonsense

GQ: Secret 2003 Iraq intel reports began with Bible quotes
Big Fu*kin Deal.

Old Hippie Vet on May 17, 2009 at 11:11 PM

If they had begun with quotes from the Koran and were in this administration I’m sure you would see all sorts of wrong with that. Say it with me “Separation of church and state” there I knew you could….

Draper’s not some nutroots hack, though, having written a book about Bush’s administration for which Dubya himself agreed to be interviewed several times

Considering some of the questionable people Bush surrounded himself with during his administration (Richard Clarke or Scott McClellan anyone?), I’m not sure that the fact that Bush granted interviews to Draper, so he could write his book, says much about Draper’s nutrootiness, or lack thereof.

Wow! It must have been really bad for a muslim to have been that offended. It takes an awful lot to rile up those practitioners of the great religion of peace and tolerence.

MB4 on May 17, 2009 at 3:02 PM

There are also a lot of Americans who see nothing wrong with Major General Shaffer’s inclusion of Bible passages in daily briefings to the president.

J.E. Dyer on May 17, 2009 at 3:06 PM

The organization, of course, is the UN — and the bible verses are about beating swords into plowshares. The verses are Isaiah 2:4, Joel 3:10, and Micah 4:3.

So is this political incorrect thinking too?

Narniaman on May 17, 2009 at 3:16 PM

Wow, a lot of great responses in the comments, and I’ve only looked at the first page.

Are we so far gone as a society, what used to be a Western society, with a Western heritage, that when our leaders take solace in their religion in times of war that everyone is supposed to get all upset, and yes, self-righteous? It’s funny how Atheists have become some of the most unpleasantly self-righteous people I’ve ever run across.

Are we supposed to just throw Christianity aside, a vital part of our Western Heritage just because someone somewhere might be offended (even though it was only used in what amounted to confidential communications)? The whole thing says more about the writer than it says about Bush or Rumsfeld.

I guess that sniper in Saving Private Ryan would have to be censored if there was a comparable character in a movie about the Iraq War, huh? Wouldn’t want someone to think he was some kind of Crusader or something.

they were lucky for 7 years, and so were we. At least in that regard.
Grow Fins on May 17, 2009 at 4:13 PM

Why, of course.

They. Just. Got. Lucky.

For seven years.

That must be it.

GQ: Secret 2003 Iraq intel reports began with Bible quotes

Big Fu*kin Deal.

Robert Gates was a welcome change.

Rummy’s just a joke.

They then claimed with a straight face that he was “secular” so could never work with bin Laden.

they sure as heel didn’t support the mission.

Grow Fins on May 17, 2009 at 10:40 PM

Al Bundy could not be reached for comment.