Generally speaking, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has been taking it on the chin, of late, as many officers formerly under his command have been decrying the Secretary’s leadership (or lack thereof) and calling for his ouster. This rebellion, of sorts, comes at a time when the U.S. military appears caught between Iraq and a hard place, mired in a “long war� that has no end in sight and is exacting greater than anticipated (and is acceptable) human and economic costs. Simultaneously, with the drumbeats of continued occupation in Iraq stubbornly echoing across the Potomac, other war drums are being pounded to announce the purported threat of a nuclear Iran, despite analysis that strongly suggests this new adversary lacks “the skills, materials and equipment to make good on its immediate nuclear ambitions.� All the while, a depleted (physically and emotionally) military is spread thin across Iraq, Afghanistan, and bases worldwide. Logic suggests that something has to give. But, then, logic is not exactly the forte of our Commander-in-Chief, who continues to stand behind his flawed policies and his beleaguered Secretary of Defense, regardless of the mounting criticism and evidence belying their lies. Though the ship may founder, the band plays merrily on…