Former US defence secy sparked a ruinous war, changed geopolitics
WASHINGTON: Calling Donald H. Rumsfeld energetic was like calling the Pacific wide. When others would rest, he would run. While others sat, he stood. But try as he might, at the pinnacle of his career as US defence secretary he could not outmanoeuvre the ruinous politics of the Iraq war.
Regarded by former colleagues as smart and combative, patriotic and cunning, Rumsfeld had a storied career in government under four presidents and nearly a quarter century in corporate America. After retiring in 2008, he headed the Rumsfeld Foundation to promote public service and to work with charities that provide services and support for military families and wounded veterans.
The two-time defence secretary and one-time presidential candidate died on Tuesday. He was 88.
“Rummy”, as he was often
called, was ambitious, witty, engaging and capable of great personal warmth. But he irritated many with his confrontational style.
From his earliest years in Washington, he was seen by friend and foe alike as a formidable political force. He is the only person to serve twice as Pentagon chief. The first time, in 1975-77, he was the youngest
ever. The next time, in 2001-06, he was the oldest.
He made a brief run for the 1988 Republican presidential nomination, a spectacular flop that he once described as humbling.
For all his achievements, it was the setbacks in Iraq in the twilight of his career that will likely etch the most vivid features of his legacy.