Rumsfeld on Harf: It Sounds Kind Of Like She Was Working Off Talking Points In A High School Debate.

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld joined Brian on Kilmeade and Friends and said that the world is watching America’s behavior and they see us heading down instead of up. Rumsfeld noted that having the defense budget below 4% of GDP sends the signal that we won’t be the kind of deterrent or dissuading factor in the world.

On U.S. military officials outlining the exact plans to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul this Spring, Rumsfeld said he can’t imagine why they would be doing this. He explained that historically the military does not want to have the enemy knowing their battle plans, adding, you want to complexify the problem for the enemy, not simplify the problem. Rumsfeld also said that leaks coming from this administration is nothing new.

On Maria Harf’s comments (a lack of jobs leads to Muslims joining ISIS), Rumsfeld said, “It sounds kind of like she was working off talking points in a high school debate where she was given the bad side of the argument to defend. She was reaching. I mean, that is so juvenile.” Rumsfeld went on to say that we haven’t found a way to solve poverty in America so how can we think we can solve it in the Middle East.

When Brian asked Rumsfeld’s opinion of President Obamas remarks at the White House Terror Summit, where he seemed to blame the critics of Islam for the rise of ISIS, Rumsfeld said the president has it backwards and his comments are a part of this pattern of blaming America for what is wrong in the world. Rumsfeld explained that many Muslim countries deny women a significant role in society. He asked how could one expect those countries to change and provide jobs and show economic opportunity when they deny half of their population a role.

On the argument that going into Iraq led to the rise of ISIS, Rumsfeld said blaming ISIS on the invasion of Iraq is “utter nonsense,” it is just the Obama Administration’s pattern of blaming everything on President Bush.
On troops on the ground, Rumsfeld said it’s hard to see how we could be successful without troops on ground. Rumsfeld reiterated his belief that we should not nation build in the Middle East, it is impossible to make another country exactly like us, pointing out that American is not exactly like we were as far back as 50 to 100 years ago.

Rumseld believes ISIS’s threat about going to Rome is legitimate. Rumsfeld pointed out that while the US has been consumed with ISIS, Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking advantage. Putin feels the U.S. is busy with other things so he is doing what he wants in the Ukraine. Rumsfeld went on to say when America takes its eye off the ball, the world notices and other nations will take advantage.

On the AUMF, Rumsfeld said there is nothing wrong with the President wanting to refresh the authority, but asking for a three year limit and no ground troops is a reflection of everything people with responsibility in the Executive Branch seem to not understand. Lastly, Rumsfeld predicted that the Obama Administration will go down in history as setting in motion forces that are adverse to the interests of the U.S., calling it regrettable because the cost to our country will be significant in money, time and will cost American blood.

Listen to Brian’s full interview with Donald Rumsfeld here: