Robert "Nofacts" Novak's not someone I'd usually quote, but this column of his from the Washington Dispatch makes an excellent point...Rumsfeld is squeezing the Army by overextending and overworking it. Gee, what a Patriot, eh?

It started with Rummy ignoring the advice and counsel of a relatively unimportant person, General Eric Shinseki, his Army Chief of Staff. Shinseki's views, like those of many professionals soldiers were that Iraq was going to need both a large short-term force to invade and perhaps a larger one to sustain the inevitable "mission creep" of nation-building.

So, Rummy dissed Shinseki at his recent retirement ceremony...he fired him (in effect) a year or so ago, then he blew him off altogether at his retirement. Shinseki recently said of Rummy: (not mentioning him by name)

When his June 11 speech declared that "mistrust and arrogance are antithetical to inspired and inspiring leadership," everybody in the Pentagon knew he was accusing Rumsfeld of exercising command but not leadership. The general declared that "command is about authority, about an appointment to position" but that "leadership . . . must be learned and practiced."

On the previous Sunday (in the New York Times) ... Pfc. Matthew C. O'Dell, 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, told a reporter: "You call Donald Rumsfeld and tell him our sorry asses are ready to go home. Tell him to come spend a night in our building."