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"General Myers, Rumsfeld and their staffs failed
to recognize the impact the scandal would not only have
in the United States but around the world," the
editorial reads. "On the battlefield, Myers and
Rumsfeld's errors would be called a lack of situational
awareness — a failure that amounts to professional
negligence."
The editorial was acquired by CBS and read Sunday by
CBS News Chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer.
"This was not only a failure of leadership at
the local command level," it continues. "This
was a failure that ran straight to the top. Accountability
is essential, even if that means relieving top leaders
from duty during a time of war."
Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), a veteran and guest on
the program, said he was not yet ready to call for Rumsfeld's
departure.
"I think accountability must be maintained here,"
Hagel said. "We don't have all the pieces yet.
But I think over the next couple weeks, then the President
is going to have to make some hard choices here."
When pressed, he added, "That's the President's
decision."
Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) said he agreed with the
editorial.
"This is a sad moment," he said. "What
we need is the kind of more clarity that occurred when
the president stood on top of that rubble with the bullhorn
and communicated to the American people he understood
their feelings."
"This has jeopardized our troops," he added.
"Imagine what Ronald Reagan would be saying today."
Biden clarified his position, saying, "I'm almost
reluctant to say that [he should go] ...because that
makes it seem like that is the answer to the problem."
Later on the program, Sen. Hagel said he was no longer
certain America was winning the war in Iraq.
"I don't know if we are winning this war,"
he said. "The definition of winning the war, at
least for me, is winning the people... so that the people
of Iraq can govern themselves and protect themselves."
"What we didn't plan for was an occupation. We
failed. We are in a mess."
Schieffer pressed Hagel, who is on the Senate Intelligence
Committee, to disclose what he knew about the new photos
and videos detailing torture in Iraq. Hagel said there
we "many, many" ongoing investigations.
"My understanding is it's probably in the range
of 30, maybe more than that, of investigations. Not
all are homicides. But we just don't know."
The actual editorial can be read
here.
You
can view the full transcript from CBS' "Face the
Nation" in Adobe PDF by clicking here.
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