Rumsfeld Defends U.S. Position in Iraq

Title: Rumsfeld Defends U.S. Position in Iraq

URL Source: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/537706/rumsfeld-defends-us-position-iraq

Markdown Content:

===============

Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

* [REGISTER](http://www.dvidshub.net/member/registration)
* [LOGIN](http://www.dvidshub.net/login)

(e.g. [email protected])

– [x] Remember me

[Forgot Password?](http://www.dvidshub.net/forgotpassword)

[![Image 1:

* [Home](http://www.dvidshub.net/)
* [SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH](http://www.dvidshub.net/feature/SECDEFHegseth)
* [Combatant Commands](http://www.dvidshub.net/cocom)

* [Features](http://www.dvidshub.net/feature)

* [Content](http://www.dvidshub.net/search)
* [Images](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=image)
* [Video](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=video)
* [News](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=news)
* [Audio](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=audio)
* [Graphics](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=graphics)
* [Podcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/podcast)
* [Publications](http://www.dvidshub.net/publication)
* [Webcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast)

* [Stories](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)
* [Storytellers](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)
* [Media Awards](http://www.dvidshub.net/awards/guidelines)

* [Hometown News](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice)
* [Releases](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice/map)
* [Hometown Heroes](http://www.dvidshub.net/map)
* [Holiday Greetings Map](http://www.dvidshub.net/holiday)

* [Units](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit)

* [Newswire](http://www.dvidshub.net/alerts)

* [Media Requests](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)
* [Create Request](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)
* [Media Press Kit](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest/presskit)

* ![Image 3:

Rumsfeld Defends U.S. Position in Iraq
======================================

![Image 4: facebook sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/facebook.svg)

![Image 5: twitter sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/twitter.svg)

![Image 6: linkedin sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/linkedin.svg)

![Image 7: pinterest sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/pinterest.svg)

![Image 8: sharethis sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/sharethis.svg)

[![Image 9: Rumsfeld Engages with Troops at Fort Irwin Town Hall](https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2507/9163310/1000w_q95.jpg)](http://www.dvidshub.net/image/9163310/rumsfeld-engages-with-troops-fort-irwin-town-hall)
Courtesy Photo | Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld answers questions and spends time with troops……[read more](http://www.dvidshub.net/image/9163310/rumsfeld-engages-with-troops-fort-irwin-town-hall)[read more](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/537706/rumsfeld-defends-us-position-iraq#)

Courtesy Photo | Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld answers questions and spends time with troops from the Army's 4th Infantry Division and 11th Cavalry Regiment during a town hall meeting at Fort Irwin, Calif., Aug. 29. Photo by Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald, USAF [see less](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/537706/rumsfeld-defends-us-position-iraq#) | [View Image Page](http://www.dvidshub.net/image/9163310/rumsfeld-engages-with-troops-fort-irwin-town-hall)

### WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES

### 08.30.2005

### Story by [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore) and [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore)

### [Department of War](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC)[](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/unit/TPC "Search for Department of War media")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/rss/unit/66 "RSS feed for Department of War")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> March 2017")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> February 2017")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> January 2017")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> December 2016")

[![Image 10](https://cdn.dvidshub.net/images/subscribe-button-icon.png)✔✗Subscribe](http://www.dvidshub.net/alerts/unit/66 "Subscribe to Department of War")

173

![Image 11: facebook sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/facebook.svg)

![Image 12: twitter sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/twitter.svg)

![Image 13: linkedin sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/linkedin.svg)

![Image 14: pinterest sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/pinterest.svg)

![Image 15: sharethis sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/sharethis.svg)

The U.S. is not losing the war in Iraq, but is doing important work to encourage democracy and freedom in a country that has known nothing but vicious dictatorship for years, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said here Aug. 29.

Speaking to a large crowd of soldiers and family members at the Army's premier training center for desert warfare, Rumsfeld boldly defended U.S. efforts in Iraq, saying the media often shows only the negative news, because that's what grabs interest. People need to be reminded of what America is and what it isn't, he said.

"America is not what's wrong with the world," he said. "It's the terrorists, the beheaders, the hostage-takers, the assassins."

America was forced to go on the offensive against terrorists, because it is impossible to defend against every kind of threat the terrorists can pose, Rumsfeld said. In this way, U.S. servicemembers are protecting the freedoms of every American, he said.

"They are engaging terrorists where they live for the simple reason that we do not have to deal with them where Americans live," he said.

This is not a war against the Muslim faith, Rumsfeld said, but a war against a very small minority of violent extremists who want to "hijack" that religion. The insurgents are determined to spread violence around the world, so the only defense against them is democracy and freedom, he said.

"What we have to do is preserve our way of life," he said. "We have to preserve the free way of life for ourselves, and we have to do what we can for other folks."

What separates Americans from terrorists is that Americans know and appreciate the cost of war, and they feel every loss of life and wounded servicemember in their hearts, Rumsfeld said.

"We value human life," he said. "We're proud that we value human life, and we do not consider that a weakness. We consider it a strength."

Every war has had critics who say it's the wrong place, wrong time or wrong fight, Rumsfeld said, but in every instance, those people have been wrong. The U.S. does not go to war lightly, and the fight against terrorists is one that this country will see through, he said.

"People who want to toss in the towel were wrong yesterday, they're wrong today, and they'll be wrong tomorrow," he said.

After speaking to the Fort Irwin soldiers, including 32 Purple Heart recipients and a brigade of the 4th Infantry Division that will deploy to Iraq in December, Rumsfeld met with the families of several soldiers who died in combat.

Story by Sgt. Sara Wood, USA, American Forces Press Service

NEWS INFO
———

Date Taken:08.30.2005
Date Posted:07.04.2025 04:33
Story ID:537706
Location:WASHINGTON, US

* * *

Web Views:9
Downloads:0

* * *

#### PUBLIC DOMAIN ![Image 16](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/public_domain_logo.png)

This work, Rumsfeld Defends U.S. Position in Iraq, by [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore) and [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore), identified by [

CONNECTED MEDIA
—————

[![Image 17: Rumsfeld Engages with Troops at Fort Irwin Town Hall](https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2507/9163310/75x75_q95.jpg)](http://www.dvidshub.net/image/9163310/rumsfeld-engages-with-troops-fort-irwin-town-hall)

MORE LIKE THIS
————–

CONTROLLED VOCABULARY KEYWORDS
——————————

_No keywords found._

Add Keyword

TAGS
—-

[American Forces Press Service](http://www.dvidshub.net/tags/news/american-forces-press-service)

[Defense.gov DefenseLink Archive](http://www.dvidshub.net/tags/news/defensegov-defenselink-archive)

OPTIONS
——-

* [Register/Login to Download](http://www.dvidshub.net/login)

####

* [404-282-1450](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/537706/rumsfeld-defends-us-position-iraq#)

#### Web Support

* [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

#### Customer Service

* [1-888-743-4662](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/537706/rumsfeld-defends-us-position-iraq#)
* [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

#### [Features](http://www.dvidshub.net/feature)

#### [Units](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit)

#### [Newswire](http://www.dvidshub.net/alerts)

#### [About

* [Contact Us](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/contactus)
* [Privacy & Security](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/privacy)
* [FAQs](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/faq)
* [Copyright Information](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright)
* [Accessibility Information](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/accessibility)
* [Customer Service](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/contactweb)

#### [Media Requests](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)

* [Create Request](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)
* [Media Press Kit](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest/presskit)

#### [Hometown News](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice)

* [Releases](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice/map)
* [Hometown Heroes](http://www.dvidshub.net/map)
* [Holiday Greetings Map](http://www.dvidshub.net/holiday)

#### [Stories](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)

* [Storytellers](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)
* [Media Awards](http://www.dvidshub.net/awards/guidelines)

#### [Content](http://www.dvidshub.net/search)

* [Images](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=image)
* [Video](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=video)
* [News](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=news)
* [Audio](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=audio)
* [Graphics](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=graphics)
* [Podcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/podcast)
* [Publications](http://www.dvidshub.net/publication)
* [Webcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast)

#### Links

* [Links Disclaimer](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/linksdisclaimer)
* [No FEAR Act](http://prhome.defense.gov/NoFear/)
* [Open Government](http://open.defense.gov/)
* [FOIA](http://open.defense.gov/Transparency/FOIA.aspx)
* [USA Gov](https://www.usa.gov/)
* [Inspector General](http://www.dodig.mil/)
* [Web Policy](http://dodcio.defense.gov/DoD-Web-Policy/)
* [EEO](http://www.dodig.mil/EEO/process.html)
* [Sexual Assault Prevention](http://www.sapr.mil/)
* [DVI Records Schedule](https://www.dimoc.mil/Portals/64/docs/DVI%20docs/DoD-VI-Records-Schedule.pdf?ver=2018-02-06-205026-927)
* [DVI Executive Summary](https://www.dimoc.mil/Portals/64/ExecSumm%20-%20VI%20Records%20Schedule%20-%20AUG%202019_1.pdf)
* [Section 3103](https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2009-title44/USCODE-2009-title44-chap31-sec3103)

[![Image 18: Podcasts Logo](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/podcasts_logo_white.png)](http://www.dvidshub.net/podcast)[![Image 19: Military 24/7 Logo](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/mil_247_logo_white.png)](http://www.dvidshub.net/app)[](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/537706/rumsfeld-defends-us-position-iraq)[](http://www.facebook.com/

[![Image 20: US Deptartment of Defense Logo](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/wargov-logo-footer.png)](https://www.defense.gov/)

Version: 5a266dc3ff9fb60f2179f68892ebeb0d8fc270d8_2025-10-14T09:11:41

Rumsfeld Defends U.S. Position in Iraq

Adjacent Records