Tuesday
Nov142006
Pentagon Update
Tuesday, November 14, 2006 at 3:00AM
By Wendy Wang
Outgoing Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, has a series of meetings today in and out of the Pentagon. There are no further reports of cancelled trips or appearances or meeting with foreign dignitaries on the Secretary's schedule. Some sort of farewell to the work force will take place. The planning is under way. There is no confirmation that he spoke to Robert Gates. Pentagon spokesman, Bryan Whitman, says that should the two men have a confirmation prior to Gates's congressional confirmation, "they" will let "us" know should a discussion between the two take place during the transition period. Whitman did say that Gates did not take part in the Iraq policy discussion at the White House yesterday.
German lawsuit
Whitman emphasized that the lawsuit is not being brought against Rumsfeld by the German government. Whitman has not seen the complaint, just press reports on the complaint, and from it he discerned that it was a frivolous suit. Once the suit has been filed, he will take a closer look. From his understanding of press reports, this is a complaint filed by the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights. He says that all wrong-doings towards detainees in Abu Grab was thoroughly investigated by several Congressional hearings, and that those responsible were held accountable; some remaining in prison to this day.
He did note that no one is taking a look at the enemy's treatment of their detainees.
Kitty Hawk
On reports that a the USS Kitty Hawk, during a military exercise in the East China sea, did not detect that it was being monitored by a Chinese submarine, Whitman says that Kitty Hawk was not engaged in anti-submarine warfare operations during this exercise. He deferred details to Pacific Command, though he is not aware of any complaints to the Chinese government over the incidence. Though operation safety is always a concern in international waters, Whitman says the press generated more concern over this issue than it warrants.
Baghdad Kidnappings
Whitman says he only has the preliminary reports on vast kidnappings taking place in Iraq. News report indicates that gunmen, disguised as Iraqi security, kidnapped anywhere between 70 to 150 individuals from Iraqi's Education Ministry in a "lightening raid." Whitman puts the estimate at the lower end of the numbers, but would not go into exact details from the preliminary reports he received as he "did not know the facts." He was not able to confirm if this is a failing under the Iraqi security forces watch, saying that Iraq is a big country and that it was not possible to have security at every corner. He does not accept the premise that the kidnapping took place at the speed the press had reported.
Outgoing Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, has a series of meetings today in and out of the Pentagon. There are no further reports of cancelled trips or appearances or meeting with foreign dignitaries on the Secretary's schedule. Some sort of farewell to the work force will take place. The planning is under way. There is no confirmation that he spoke to Robert Gates. Pentagon spokesman, Bryan Whitman, says that should the two men have a confirmation prior to Gates's congressional confirmation, "they" will let "us" know should a discussion between the two take place during the transition period. Whitman did say that Gates did not take part in the Iraq policy discussion at the White House yesterday.
German lawsuit
Whitman emphasized that the lawsuit is not being brought against Rumsfeld by the German government. Whitman has not seen the complaint, just press reports on the complaint, and from it he discerned that it was a frivolous suit. Once the suit has been filed, he will take a closer look. From his understanding of press reports, this is a complaint filed by the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights. He says that all wrong-doings towards detainees in Abu Grab was thoroughly investigated by several Congressional hearings, and that those responsible were held accountable; some remaining in prison to this day.
He did note that no one is taking a look at the enemy's treatment of their detainees.
Kitty Hawk
On reports that a the USS Kitty Hawk, during a military exercise in the East China sea, did not detect that it was being monitored by a Chinese submarine, Whitman says that Kitty Hawk was not engaged in anti-submarine warfare operations during this exercise. He deferred details to Pacific Command, though he is not aware of any complaints to the Chinese government over the incidence. Though operation safety is always a concern in international waters, Whitman says the press generated more concern over this issue than it warrants.
Baghdad Kidnappings
Whitman says he only has the preliminary reports on vast kidnappings taking place in Iraq. News report indicates that gunmen, disguised as Iraqi security, kidnapped anywhere between 70 to 150 individuals from Iraqi's Education Ministry in a "lightening raid." Whitman puts the estimate at the lower end of the numbers, but would not go into exact details from the preliminary reports he received as he "did not know the facts." He was not able to confirm if this is a failing under the Iraqi security forces watch, saying that Iraq is a big country and that it was not possible to have security at every corner. He does not accept the premise that the kidnapping took place at the speed the press had reported.
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