Operation Just Cause ...for as long as it takes
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By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2001 -- Neither the captain nor any crew member of the USS Cole will be punished because of the Oct. 12 terrorist attack on the destroyer in Aden, Yemen, senior DoD and Navy leaders announced Jan. 19 at the Pentagon.
During his last DoD Press Conference, then-Defense Secretary William S. Cohen said he agreed with the Navy's just-released Judge Advocate General Manual Proceeding report, which investigated whether the Cole's captain and crew had been negligent or deficient in executing their force protection duties. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld was sworn in Jan. 20.
Referring to the 1,600-page report, Cohen said Navy leaders concluded that the overall performance of the captain and his crew does not warrant punitive action.
"I agree with that conclusion," he said. "However, the question of accountability is deeper and more complex than the performance of the crew alone." Cohen was accompanied at the briefing by Navy Secretary Richard Danzig and Adm. Vern Clark, chief of naval operations.
Cohen said no one person or persons are to be blamed for the attack on the Cole. That responsibility, he remarked, "belongs to all of us in leadership positions." The bombing killed 17 sailors and wounded 39.
"Under the circumstances, the full implementation of the force protection plan probably could not have prevented the attack," he added.
Cohen remarked that senior DoD leadership "including myself .. needed to engage more vigorously in examination of the range of potential threats. Clever, committed terrorists are predators who will always search and look for weaknesses, and we simply have to do a better job of finding and correcting those weaknesses before the terrorists find them and exploit them."
Danzig and Clark said they agreed with Cohen's assessment, with Clark noting "there is a collective responsibility here -- and that we in the chain of command share responsibility for what happened." Clark said the terrorists apparently had planned the Cole attack at least 18 months in advance.
"The investigation clearly shows the commanding officer of the Cole did not have the specific intelligence (information), the focused training, the appropriate equipment and on-scene security support to effectively prevent or deter such a determined, such a pre-planned, assault on his ship," he said.
Clark ticked off some important lessons learned from the Navy's Cole report:
- "We must do a better job of both training and equipping our ships to operate within reasonable risk, and that means risk will never go away completely ... . We must do this especially when our ships are called upon to operate in high-threat areas."
- "It is quite clear that there is collective responsibility for oversights in pre-deployment training, for threat awareness, and in-theater support for entering new ports."
- "The Navy must take force protection to a new level and challenge every assumption we have about how we conduct our operations around the world."
Danzig felt that port security at Aden, which was outside the Cole captain's purview, was inadequate.
"We need to sharpen the degree to which we secure host- nation support security arrangements and make sure that our captains are well informed with regard to them. It doesn't seem to me, in this instance, to have been a good match in that regard," he said.
Cohen, Danzig and Clark all cited the Cole's captain, Cmdr. Kirk Lippold, and his crew for heroism in keeping the destroyer afloat and tending to wounded after suicide bombers blew a gaping hole at the waterline on the ship's left side.
"Words can't adequately capture the deep sense of sorrow and loss that all of us in the United States Navy and in the nation feel for the 17 sailors who gave their lives in service to the country," Clark said. "Our hearts today again go out to the families, the friends, the shipmates and the other loved ones of the Cole family.
"And, certainly, this investigation points out the true heroism of the men and women of the Cole."
The Navy's Cole report findings will be incorporated with force protection recommendations provided by the Gehman- Crouch Cole Commission report which was released Jan. 9. The FBI investigation seeking the perpetrators of the Cole bombing is ongoing.
View an edited, publicly accessible version of the Navy's Cole Report
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By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2001 -- For the second time in his career, Donald H. Rumsfeld has taken the helm at the Pentagon.
David O. Cooke, DoD's director of administration and management, swore in Rumsfeld as the nation's 21st defense secretary at 6:10 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Old Executive Office Building here. Rumsfeld previously served as the nation's 13th defense secretary, from 1975 to 1977 during the Ford administration.
"I am grateful to the president for the opportunity to serve again as secretary of defense," he said, following the ceremony. "I look forward to working with the dedicated and talented men and women who serve in the armed forces and the civilian ranks of the department."
During Jan. 11 confirmation hearings before the Senate Armed Service Committee, Rumsfeld said he would follow President Bush's three overarching goals for bringing U.S. armed forces into the 21st century.
"First, we must strengthen the bond of trust with the American military," Rumsfeld said. "The brave and dedicated men and women who serve in our country's uniform -- active, Guard and Reserve -- must get the best support their country can possibly provide them so that we can continue to call on the best people in the decades to come."
Second, he said, the United States must develop capabilities to defend against missiles and terrorism, and newer threats aimed against space assets and information systems. "The American people, our forces abroad and our friends and allies must be protected against the threats which modern technology and its proliferation confront us," he said.
Third, DoD must take advantage of the new possibilities that the ongoing technological revolution offers to create the military of the next century, he continued.
Rumsfeld said at the hearings that one of his first duties as secretary would be to order a comprehensive review of U.S. defense policy. This would be in addition to the congressionally mandated Quadrennial Defense Review.
"This review will be aimed at making certain that we have a sound understanding of the state of the U.S. forces and their readiness to meet the 21st century security environment," he said.
Prior to accepting President George W. Bush's appointment to head the military, Rumsfeld served as the nonexecutive chairman of the board of directors of Gilead Sciences, Inc. and on the board of directors of Asea Brown Boveri Ltd. and Amylin Pharmaceuticals.
He was chairman of the Salomon Smith Barney International Advisory Board and served as adviser to a number of companies. Prior to his business career, Rumsfeld, at age 30, won election as a congressman from Illinois in 1962 and was re-elected in 1964, 1966 and 1968.
Rumsfeld went on to serve in the Nixon administration as an economic adviser. He served as U.S. ambassador to NATO in Brussels, Belgium, from 1973 to 1974 and returned to Washington to serve President Ford as White House chief of staff and then as defense secretary.
Even during his career in private business, Rumsfeld continued public service in a variety of posts. Most recently, he was chairman of the Commission on the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States and chairman of the U.S. Commission to Assess National Security Space Management and Organization.
Born in Chicago in 1932, he attended Princeton University on scholarship, served in the Navy from 1954 to 1957 as a naval aviator and was an all-Navy wrestling champion. Rumsfeld and his wife, Joyce, have three children and five grandchildren. Joyce Rumsfeld is the founding chair of the Chicago Foundation for Education.
Related Sites of Interest:
AFPS News Article: Rumsfeld Details DoD Goals, Objectives in Testimony
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By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2001 -- Every four years, the land of the free and home of the brave invites the bravest of all to attend the presidential inauguration here.
This year, nearly 100 of the 150 living Medal of Honor recipients attended the inauguration of America's 43rd president, George W. Bush. Veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam traveled from their homes across America for the ceremony.
"I've been coming all these years since Eisenhower's inauguration and they've all been wonderful," said Medal of Honor recipient Nicholas Oresko. "But today was one of the greatest because the president and the vice president and the secretary of defense all came by and shook our hands. It was wonderful, unexpected excitement."
More than a half century ago, Oresko, of Tenafly, N.J., was an Army master sergeant with the 94th Infantry Division in Germany. In a one-man attack, and despite serious wounds, he rushed two German bunkers, killing 12 German soldiers, making it possible for his company to obtain its objectives with minimum casualties.
Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars escorted Oresko and other Medal of Honor recipients while they were in the capital. Then Vice President-elect Dick Cheney hosted a pre-inaugural salute to veterans with a surprise appearance by then President-elect George W. Bush.
The Reserve Officers Association hosted a breakfast Jan. 20, and the American Legion hosted a "Salute to Heroes" reception, banquet and ball that evening at the Capital Hilton. Cheney and Bush, accompanied by their wives, Lynne Cheney and Laura Bush, stopped by to again salute the vets prior to visiting inaugural balls throughout the capital.
"By tradition," Cheney told the heroes, "this is always the first event the president and vice president visit before we begin the round of inaugural balls, and that's for a very good reason."
It's "because of the enormous obligation and debt that we have to all of you who served in the U.S. military, veterans as well as the Medal of Honor recipients who are here tonight. On behalf of Lynne and myself, let me thank you for what you've done for all of us."
Bush echoed Cheney's support for the tradition. "It's right that it be that way," the president said. "It makes good sense to start here.
"The inaugural balls are a reflection of the wonderful freedoms we have in America -- the free transfer of power that took place today," he noted. "This is a free land, however, it would not have been free necessarily without the sacrifice of the men and women who have worn our uniform."
Bush said he was honored to be with the soon-to-be head of the Veterans Affairs Department, Tony Principi, who "understands that a promise made will be a promise kept to the men and women who wear the uniform."
He also said he wanted to be with the leaders of the military branches -- "fine men who lead some of the finest citizens anywhere in the world."
"Their mission and our mission is to keep the peace," Bush said. "The way to do so is to make sure our military is highly trained and well paid." The chain of command must ensure "that our soldiers are fully prepared to fight and win war, and therefore, prevent war from happening in the first place."
Bush said it's an honor and a duty to serve as president and commander and chief. "I look forward to that honor and duty with pride. ... God bless what you all have done for America, and God bless America."
A day earlier, at a luncheon hosted by Army Gen. Henry H. Shelton, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the heroes their "exploits and feats of courage have contributed greatly to the longevity of our republic."
He commended the Medal of Honor Society for its continuing effort to highlight the courage and sacrifices recipients have made. "Your thoughts on courage, duty, leadership, teamwork and camaraderie are priceless pearls of wisdom and experience for our young men and women," Shelton said.
The chairman speculated about what motivated the recipients to perform their heroic deeds. Perhaps it was a gut reaction in the heat of battle, he said, or a desire to save a buddy's life. It could have been anger at the opponent or the fear of being captured or dying in a faraway place, he said.
"Maybe," Shelton said, "it was the sheer will to win or the flashing thought of the alternative. Whatever it was that motivated you, you did something that no one can be sure any other man would have done or could have done. ...
"You didn't quit," the general stressed. "You didn't give in to your fears. You didn't let the situation overwhelm you. You had the presence of mind and faith in your maker and in your abilities to do what needed to be done. ... We as a nation are made stronger by having citizens like you."
Talking to the recipients, however, one usually gets a much more humble view of the nation's heroes. To a man, they downplayed their actions, saying they were only doing their job.
"I stayed in my foxhole 24 hours a day. We were scared all the time," said World War II veteran George T. Sakato. "We were shaking. After three weeks of street fighting, I was so tired I fell asleep. The next morning I woke up and the other guys said I slept through machine guns firing and grenades going off."
Sakato, from Denver, received his Medal of Honor last June when President Clinton awarded medals to 22 World War II soldiers of Asian-Pacific descent. Only 10 of those 22 heroes survived the war and only seven are still alive today.
"I crawled into my helmet as far as I could go," said Medal of Honor recipient Rudy D. Davila, another World War II vet.
Standing together after the June 19 Salute to Veterans, Sakato and Davila studied a commemorative coin from the 173rd Airborne Regiment. Reflecting back on 1943 and 1944, each traced his route through Italy, outlined on the coin. Davila said his unit landed at Anzio.
"We swept through and we found a lot of Polish prisoners and Italian soldiers who wanted us to take them prisoner," he said. "We said, 'No, the war is over for you guys. Go home.'"
For more information on the Medal of Honor recipients, go to:
'... What We Were Fighting for Was Each Other'
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American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2001 -- President George W. Bush sent a message to the armed forces and the civilians who support the defense department via the nation's incoming 21st defense secretary.
Donald H. Rumsfeld read a message from the president during a Full Honors Welcome Ceremony Jan. 26 at the Pentagon.
Here is the text of that message:
“To the armed forces of the United States and to the men and women who support them.
"Your service in the cause of freedom is both noble and extraordinary. Because of you, America is strong and the flame of freedom burns brighter than at any time in history.
"Your country can never repay you for the sacrifices and hardships you endure, but we are grateful for the liberties we enjoy every day because of your service.
"As your Commander-in-Chief I will always support you and your families so that this great nation continues to have the greatest armed forces in the history of the world.
"Thank you.”
George W. Bush
President of the United States
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By Linda D. Kozaryn and Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2001 -- As the armed forces welcomed Donald H. Rumsfeld here Jan. 26, the nation's 21st defense secretary, in turn, salute those he was about to lead.
"The president and I believe that the men and women who freely elect to wear the country’s uniform deserve not only our respect, but our support, and yes, our appreciation," Rumsfeld said. Those who serve “in times of conflict deserve not only our thanks for their sacrifice, but our commitment to value every veteran."
Pulling a folded page from his pocket, he then read a message from President Bush pledging his support to America’s service members and the men and women who support them and their families.
"Your service in the cause of freedom is both noble and extraordinary," the president wrote. "Because of you, America is strong and the flame of freedom burns brighter than at any time in history.
"Your country can never repay you for the sacrifices and hardships you endure, but we are grateful for the liberties we enjoy every day because of your service," Bush said.
Recalling a story from the Reagan Administration, Rumsfeld made a pledge of his own.
“A young GI on the front line in Germany asked our ambassador there if he ever got to see the president. Our ambassador replied that sometimes he did.
"'Well,' the GI said, 'you tell the president we're proud to be here and we ain't afraid of anybody.'
"A few weeks later, the ambassador saw the president and he passed along the GI's message. Not long after that back in Germany the GI was listening to the president's weekly radio address on Armed Forces Radio.
"When he heard Ronald Reagan tell the story of a message sent by a GI in Germany through our ambassador, the soldier ran out of the quarters down through the company area shouting, 'The system works. The system works.'"
"On behalf of President Bush and Vice President Cheney and the civilian and military leadership here in the Defense Department, I make this pledge today, to every man and woman wearing a uniform. We will work to make the system work.
“Work so that you can serve with pride and know that service to our nation is a sacred calling,” he said. “Work so that America and her friends and allies are strong and secure. Work so that the cause of freedom will better bind the community of nations, seeking, not conflict, but common purpose.”
Rumsfeld also said he would work with the diplomatic and the intelligence communities to "arm the president with the options the information and capabilities needed to defend American interests and to pursue every avenue to keep the peace.”
Rumsfeld was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in after the Inauguration Jan. 20. He was ceremonially sworn in at the White House Jan. 26 and the Joint Chiefs of Staff hosted the welcome ceremony for him later in the afternoon.
Army Gen. Henry Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Rumsfeld is the perfect pick for the Pentagon. “He proved by his actions that he understands the importance of maintaining a robust military capability as the best way to deter aggression ensure stability and prevent war,” the chairman said.
Secretary of State Colin Powell, the retired Army four-star who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Persian Gulf War, sat in the front row of the VIP section on the River Parade Field. Former Secretary of State Alexander Haig, sat nearby as did former defense secretaries Caspar Weinberger and Frank Carlucci.
In his remarks, Rumsfeld contrasted the world situation when he was secretary from 1975-1977 to today. “Twenty-five years ago, Warsaw was the name of a military pact opposed to the ways of the West,” he said. “Today Warsaw is the capital of a new member of NATO.
“Twenty-five years ago, American freedom was menaced by the Soviet Empire and a wall cut not just Europe, but a world in two. Today that empire is no more, the wall is down and the Cold War is over.
Rumsfeld listed President Bush’s three goals for the military: to strengthen the bond of trust with the American military, to protect the American people both from attack and from threats of terror and to build a military that takes advantage of remarkable new technologies to confront the threats of this new century.
“Reaching those goals is a matter of mission and of mindset,” he said. “Among the things we must combat is the sense that we have all the time in the world to get to the task that's at hand.”
Some people sense that the United States "can’t or needn’t act because the world is changing," Rumsfeld said. “That we’re in a transition period between the Cold War and the next era -- whatever it may be. That we can wait until things shake out and settle down a bit.”
But Rumsfeld posited constant change might be the new status quo for the world.
“We may not be in the process of a transition to something that will follow the Cold War,” he said. “Rather we may be in a period of continuing change, and, if so, the sooner we wrap our heads around that fact, the sooner we can get about the business of making this nation and its citizens as safe and secure as they must be in our new national security environment.”
The country is safer now from nuclear war, Rumsfeld said, but “more vulnerable now to suitcase bombs, to cyberterrorists, to raw and random violence of the outlaw regime.”
Keeping America safe in a dangerous world is within the country’s reach “provided we work now and we work together to shape budgets, programs, strategies and force structure to meet threats we face and those that are emerging," he said.
“The changes we make in our defense posture, the innovations we introduce, take time to be made part of a great military force,” Rumsfeld continued. “We need to get about the business of making these changes now in order to remain strong not just in this decade, but in decades to come.”
