Rumsfeld too busy to sign KIA letters?

Who Signed?

Donald Rumsfeld - who's known as a people-eating systems man - has a long history that shows he prefers technology to humans. Certainly as SecDef he's always gone for high-tech military gear rather than giving the boots on the ground max priority when it comes to the basics: armored vehicles and vests, sufficient ammo and all the other vital stuff that helps soldiers make it through the Valley of Death.

His beloved shock-and-awe whiz-bang wonder weapons worked well enough initially in Afghanistan and Iraq, but as we saw on the tube last week, we're once again back to the age-old struggle of man against man - with grunts, not machines, taking and holding ground.

And now, apparently, Rumsfeld's obsession with machines and their efficiency has translated into his using one to replace his own John Hancock on KIA (killed in action) letters to parents and spouses. Two Pentagon-based colonels, who've both insisted on anonymity to protect their careers, have indignantly reported that the SecDef has relinquished this sacred duty to a signature device rather than signing the sad documents himself.

Are casualties in Iraq so high that Rummy cannot physically sign the KIA letters with a personal signature? Or is he just too busy?

I then went to about a dozen next-of-kin of American soldiers KIA in Iraq. Most agreed with the colonels' accusations and said they'd noticed and been insulted by the machine-driven signature. One father bitterly commented that he thought it was a shame that the SecDef could keep his squash schedule but not find the time to sign his dead son's letter.

I guess he is.

Throughout World War II, Army Chief of Staff George Marshall made sure that President Franklin Roosevelt was briefed in detail on the number of soldiers who had fallen. FDR, incidentally, probably wanted to know. He had sons who were serving.

Right on! Frank knew the importance. And so does Dubya, doesn't he?

Several also felt compelled to tell me that the letter they received from George Bush also looked as though it was not signed personally by the president.

Well, the congrats we got on our marriage from Mr. and Mrs. Bush was personally signed... Glad they had the time for it...

I have to agree here, that a stamp in such an instance as KIA letters, is NOT appropriate at all.

Is Rumsfield the first secretary of defense to do this or no? If he is, I'd have to agree its pretty inexcusable.

I don't think they should allow him to pass that duty off to a machine. I know if I had kids or family in the military and they got killed I would want at least a letter signed by somebody whether I knew them or not.

Thats just damned out of order. He could at least show a LITTLE compassion for the folks dieing in his war. It was his idea for God's sake. Show some respect, these guys fight under his orders.

Didn't the Americans learn how bad he was last time? I still can't beleive Bush got in a second term. At least its his last.

just be thankful you don't live in australia. this is Howard's fourth term.