WAR: Signature letters fuels Rumsfeld criticism

Some families of fallen U.S. soldiers were angered recently after finding out that letters sent by Defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld were mechanical reproductions and not personal condolences. The letters that were sent to the next of kin over 1300 fallen us soldiers had carried a mechanical reproduction of Rumsfelds signature. Rumsfeld admitted to not signing each letter but ensured that in the future all letters will be personally signed by him.



For a man who has sent thousands to war it is disrespectful to use a printer to send mass letters without taking the time to at least sign his name. It goes to show how much he appreciates a Soldier and a families sacrifice to further a war that he believes in. The least he can do is sign his name which would mean a lot to a family who has lost a loved one.

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[edit on 12-20-2004 by Zion Mainframe]

WOW, cant believe there are no comments on this one...
well , here is mine...
Rumsfeld needs to "retire", after all the mistakes, the unprepared news conferances, the plain ol crass manner he has...
and now the one thing that might have redeemed all the others...
he drops the ball... The report i heard on CNN, said that he didn't sign ANY of them...
how can you be the guy in charge without keeping an eye on the trenches?

if you send em to die in an unpopular war, you better be willing to at least pick up a friggin pin and write a sincere letter of appreciation for the sacrifice of a LIFE... and sign it...
Rumsfeld... Rumsfeld... Rumsfeld.... when are you going to resign?

[edit on 20-12-2004 by LazarusTheLong]

This is rather disturbing for me, as well. While the roughly 1300 deaths is a higher number than any of us would like to see, it's certainly not a high enough number that he could claim that he couldn't get it done it the old-fashioned way.

Considering the fact that each of those deaths occurred as part of Rumsfeld & company's somewhat less-than-thoroughly-thought-out plan for Iraq, it would only be fitting that he at least sign the letters himself, even if he doesn't write them individually. That would seem to be the least he could do.

For a man who has sent thousands to war it is disrespectful to use a printer

But rumsefeld is hardly the first to do this. And apparently its not even a rubber stamp but an actual machine that replicates his signature. Why should he, but not other sec of def, have to sign it by hand?

I dont see whats so wrong with that He is a busy man And he said "I wrote and approved the now more than 1,000 letters sent to family members and next of kin of each of the servicemen and women killed in military action" He did write and approve everyone well probably not write everyone but still he approved them It is good though that he will begin signing them himself

for 1100 U.S. Soldiers and yet this man could sign letters for hundreds of thousands:

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine that should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved, lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully, Abraham Lincoln

Rumsfield thinks hes to busy to sign the letters and he has a little war in Iraq and good old Abe could sign them all and he had the entire United States at war, hundreds of thousands died.