Donald Rumsfeld says goodbye to the troops

I like Donald Rumsfeld, probably for all the reasons the libs don't. He's forceful, he says what he's thinking, and he doesn't get bogged down in political double-speak ... all the reasons I also liked John Bolton in the U.N. It's comforting to have the "John Wayne"-types in charge of our country.

On last night's Hannity and Colmes, Sean Hannity showed more of his weekend trip to Iraq with outgoing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld ... and he showed an American military that believes in its mission.

In an exclusive interview (transcript here, video here), Secretary Rumsfeld talked about this last trip to say "thanks" to the troops, and about his role in the war. In an excerpt he said:

This is the first war of the 21st century. It's new. It's strange. It doesn't have the benefit of major armies, and navies, and air forces clashing one with another, and an outcome that's clear.

There's only so much the military can do. The military can do the military tasks, but ultimately it will take a political solution.

But the danger to our country is real, it's present, it's lethal, and it's growing. That is a hard thing for people to understand, because we've been so successful in not having an attack in this country for five years.

And this president is almost a victim of the success he has had in preventing another attack in our country, because people have allowed the nature of the threat to diminish in their minds. And I think that we ought not to.

We ought to understand — what was it that Winston Churchill said — "the gathering storm." It wasn't clear. It was ambiguous, and there were various signals. But, by golly, we're in a period where there is a gathering storm. And the threats of chemical and biological and radiation and nuclear weapons are real. The seriousness of these people is unambiguous, and we need to be vigilant.

The Secretary received standing ovations from the troops when he spoke. During townhall meetings, there was only one somewhat negative question from a soldier who asked if the U.S. should have been more patient before going into Iraq. Rumsfeld responded that we had been patient while the U.N. passed 17 resolutions demanding Iraq give up their chemical weapons and allow inspectors ... and Hussein did not comply. A thousand soldiers jumped to their feet and applauded the response.

The military men and women stationed in Iraq are enthusiastic about their jobs and want America to know that, when Americans at home say we're losing the war, our troops feel America has no faith in them and the job they are doing.

Sean's impromptu discussion with troops in Mosul showed men who loved America, first and foremost -- enough to leave their families behind to fight so that you and I could continue to enjoy the freedoms we have. You must watch this video whether you are for or against the war.

Our troops are operating with their hands tied in a politically correct world. If let loose, they could finish this war and be done with it. The people who complain the most about the war are the very ones who are causing the politically correct problems.

Thank you, Donald Rumsfeld, for your leadership ... and for your courage in standing with the President since 9/11 to keep terrorist attacks away from our country the past five years.