New York Daily News
October 30, 2006
Pg. 14


Defense For The Defense

Washington: Daily News columnist Michael Daly's characterization of the National Intelligence Estimate and claims about Defense Secretary Rumsfeld are misleading ("Forget Joe, fire Rummy," Oct. 10). Daly selectively quotes the NIE finding that Iraq has become "a cause celebre for jihadists" but leaves out another finding: "Should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight." Of equal concern is Daly's claim that Rumsfeld "pushed" for an invasion of Iraq; that is simply not true. Finally, we strongly disagree that we entered Iraq "with considerably less troops than our best military minds considered necessary." The troop-level decision was based on recommendations by many decorated military leaders.

Dorrance Smith, Assistant Secretary of Defense