Someone leaned on him big time.

Not clear from the article whether his opinions of Rumsfeld have changed, though.

Don't invite them to the same party.

Ara, I think his opinions of Rumsfeld haven't changed, if you check the last paragraph. :) He even compared his actions to those of MacNamara during Vietnam. Yikes.

I wonder if it was "leaning", or maybe someone in the know dropped a couple of hints as to what's on the menu for Powell's little presentation next week.

All I know is: it better be good, or Bush is going to have egg all over his face after all this build-up.

Since he's long-retired, I dunno how hard someone can lean on him. But I wouldn't be surprised if Powell himself just called him and said, "Norman, what are you doing to me?"

There's some mighty broken english used in the linked article; here's a shining example:

"Rumsfeld look like he more and more is taking control of operational matters rather than policy matters..."

CNSNews can't afford editors?

They welcome his change of heart, but Norman's fickleness would make him the object of ridicule by conservatives if he were a Democrat. Could his mind have been changed by that story about "Saddam's bodyguard warns of secret arsenal?" - about the escaped top bodyguard who told revelations of hidden weapons of mass destruction. See the story in http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,5921220%5E663,00.html.

A few days ago I sent Maureen Dowd of the N.Y. Times an email - thanking her for taking the Bush administration to task and outlining how this rush to war has led to the deaths of almost a soldier every day since May 1. There was no planning for this part of the war. As a result, no one has the back of these guys left in Iraq. They are thinly deployed and vulnerable. The email somewhat paralled Friedman's editorial today called "Bad Planning". If you are interested in "food for thought" drop me a note at pvx_rbbmis@yahoo.com and I will forward it on.

Anyway, I am planning to send another explaining how Schwartzkopf never liked Rumsfeld - and now we see why. I came across your site in the process.

Re: why Schwartzkopf "folded"

I don't know the man, but my feeling is once he knew the war was inevitable he decided to be the "good soldier" and fall in line. Not out of respect to Bush, but to the commanding officers who would be fighting in Iraq. The chain of command during battle should not only be followed but also respected. Schwartzkopf may have thought that his dissention would have proven to be an unnecessary distraction - with young 21 year old soldiers wondering what the hell they were doing if a Gulf War 1 war hero is on TV saying this is a bad idea.