Dymphna on the BBC

FURTHER UPDATE: a4g seems to be right. Dymphna was on the phone at 1:40PM EST, but I’m listening to today’s programme right now, so there must have been an hour delay.

Go to the World: Have Your Say site and click the “Listen to the programme” link; that’s what I did.

Dymphna reports:

My brief appearance on the Beeb was in a kind of round-robin format. From what I could tell, I was the only one not demanding Rumsfeld’s head, though there was one fellow who claimed that the situation was so bad it didn’t matter if Rumsfeld stayed in place or not.

When I noted that these safely-retired flag-rank officers were undercutting the civilian commander (under the President) of the armed forces, I also noted that these men were largely Clinton appointments. In other words, they are remnants from a different era and are even more marginal than the man they criticize.

Rather than respond to my observation, one of the other participants could only offer ridicule, saying something to the effect that he had heard many things blamed on Clinton, but “this was a new one.” I wonder if he will have the intellectual integrity to investigate the background and the agenda(s) of these supposedly “closed-mouthed” armchair generals.

As an Army Major put it — so much more succinctly than ever I could have:

Everyone in this great, free country of ours is entitled to their own opinion, and the aforementioned generals have a worldview as senior officers that is of no doubt interesting to the public at large. Wilsonizer certainly pays attention when a flag officer takes time to write a piece for the Times.

But deep in the bottom of the cold Army heart of mine that pumps the green Army blood throughout my body, I cannot help but wonder if there is a ring of hell reserved for comfortably retired generals, who utter opinions maligning the efforts of soldiers and commanders in the midst of carrying out wartime missions.

If you haven’t already, check out:

• Wretchard's "Troubles of Donald Rumsfeld"
• Big Lizards' "Grumbles From the Griped"
• VD Hanson's "Dead End Debates"
• Riehl World View's "Night of the Generals"
• Gateway Pundit's "Donald Rumsfeld and the Media, A Bitter Love"

They pretty well cover the situation.

Meanwhile, don’t hold your breath waiting for the Brainstem Media to unearth any flag-rank contrarians. That's why blogging evovled: because the BSM won't tell both sides. They are constitutionally incapabable of it and their delusions continue on toward a critical mass.


Dymphna will appear shortly on the World Service of the BBC on a programme (well, I have to spell it that way, because it’s British) called
World Have Your Say, discussing Should Rumsfeld Resign?

I’m not sure how you get the audio for it, but if you click one of the links above you’ll probably find a way to get to it.

From the BBC site, here is the info:

Listen live on the BBC World Service and online at 1800 GMT Monday to Friday
Call: +44 20 70 83 72 72
SMS: +44 77 86 20 60 80
worldhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Dymphna’s segment is scheduled to begin at 1840 GMT, which is (I think) 1:40 PM EDT.

The moderator, Kevin Anderson-Washington, plans to have a wide range of blogger opinion. Dymphna says, “I don’t know whether the format will be roundtable or free-for-all. Spittle-on-the-chin is still drooly, even over the airwaves. Engaging in a rant with someone who is hell-bent on bringing Bush down isn’t interesting or intellectually challenging.”

Stay tuned.