Young Officers Join The Debate Over Rumsfeld.

Source: NY Times

It seems like younger officers in military academies, in the armed services colleges, and even in command posts and mess halls are now seriously debating the merits of the failures in military planning in Iraq, and whether or not Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld should be shown the door.

WASHINGTON, April 22 -- The revolt by retired generals who publicly criticized Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has opened an extraordinary debate among younger officers, in military academies, in the armed services' staff colleges and even in command posts and mess halls in Iraq.

Junior and midlevel officers are discussing whether the war plans for Iraq reflected unvarnished military advice, whether the retired generals should have spoken out, whether active-duty generals will feel free to state their views in private sessions with the civilian leaders and, most divisive of all, whether Mr. Rumsfeld should resign.

In recent weeks, military correspondents of The Times discussed those issues with dozens of younger officers and cadets in classrooms and with combat units in the field, as well as in informal conversations at the Pentagon and in e-mail exchanges and telephone calls.

Tags: [Donald Rumsfeld], [should Rumsfeld be shown the door?], [young officers join in the Rumsfeld/Iraq War debate]