A memo written by US Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld dated Nov 27, 2001 considers a US invasion of Iraq.

In early 2006, a handful of high ranking retired generals begin to demand Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld's resignation due in part to the aforementioned chaos that resulted from his management of the war.

On December 2, 2002, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld authorized in writing the use of 17 enhanced interrogation techniques to be used against Qahtani (see next section).

And that Iraq not only had weapons of mass destruction, but as Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld said, we know where they are.

In both narratives, President Bush and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld are the prime culprits, heading a large cast of failed officials, along with a few quiet dissidents.

("Stuff happens," Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld explained, though no stuff happened to the oil ministry.)

But once you hit that number 30, we actually had to go to either President Bush, or Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld.

As if these out-to-pasture infidels would know more about the Afghanistan or Iraqi conflict than, say, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld.

Gerry J. Gilmore, "Space, Missile Defense Essential to Defense, Rumsfeld Says," American Forces Press Service, December 10, 2003.

As Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld would put it later, planning "began well before there was a decision to go to war.