Changes

===Defense===

===Defense===

When George W. Bush was elected president in 2000, his transition manager, Vice-President-elect [[Dick Cheney]], who had been Rumsfeld's protégé in both the Nixon and Ford administrations, recruited Rumsfeld to serve a second term as defense secretary.

When George W. Bush was elected president in 2000, his transition manager, Vice President-elect [[Dick Cheney]], who had been Rumsfeld's protégé in both the Nixon and Ford administrations, recruited Rumsfeld to serve a second term as defense secretary.

Quickly confirmed by the Senate, Rumsfeld took office in January 2001. During his first seven months on the job, he sought, amid opposition, to restructure the military to meet the needs of the post-[[Cold War]] era. After [[al-Qaeda]] terrorists attacked the U.S. on [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11]], using hijacked aircraft to strike Defense Department headquarters at the Pentagon and to destroy the World Trade Center, Rumsfeld was an outspoken champion of the Bush Administration's [[War on Terror]]. He oversaw the [[Afghanistan War|defeat]] of the [[Taliban]] regime in [[Afghanistan]], which had aided al-Qaeda, and he presided over the largest military buildup since the early 1980s, disarming some media skeptics with his confidence and candor.

Quickly confirmed by the Senate, Rumsfeld took office in January 2001. During his first seven months on the job, he sought, amid opposition, to restructure the military to meet the needs of the post-[[Cold War]] era. After [[al-Qaeda]] terrorists attacked the U.S. on [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11]], using hijacked aircraft to strike Defense Department headquarters at the Pentagon and to destroy the World Trade Center, Rumsfeld was an outspoken champion of the Bush Administration's [[War on Terror]]. He oversaw the [[Afghanistan War|defeat]] of the [[Taliban]] regime in [[Afghanistan]], which had aided al-Qaeda, and he presided over the largest military buildup since the early 1980s, disarming some media skeptics with his confidence and candor.

====Iraq====

====Iraq====

Once the [[Operation Iraqi Freedom|war]] with the regime of dictator [[Saddam Hussein]] began, the rapid success of U.S.-led forces in ousting Saddam appeared to vindicate Rumsfeld's insistence on sophisticated weaponry, strategic flexibility, and preemptive action. However, after major combat operations ended, and U.S. liberation forces began to face daily attacks from Saddam supporters and other terrorists, critics charged that Rumsfeld had underestimated the problems involved. The criticism intensified in April 2004, with the release of photographs providing evidence of pranks carried out on Iraqi terrorist prisoners by a handful of U.S. military personnel at Baghdad's [[Abu Ghraib prison]] during the fall of 2003. Rumsfeld acknowledged in early 2005 that he had twice offered to resign after the Abu Ghraib revelations, but that President Bush had rejected the offers.  

Once the war with the regime of dictator [[Saddam Hussein]] began, the rapid success of U.S.-led forces in ousting Saddam appeared to vindicate Rumsfeld's insistence on sophisticated weaponry, strategic flexibility, and preemptive action. However, after major combat operations ended, and U.S. liberation forces began to face daily attacks from Saddam supporters and other terrorists, critics charged that Rumsfeld had underestimated the problems involved. The criticism intensified in April 2004, with the release of photographs providing evidence of pranks carried out on Iraqi terrorist prisoners by a handful of U.S. military personnel at Baghdad's [[Abu Ghraib prison]] during the fall of 2003. Rumsfeld acknowledged in early 2005 that he had twice offered to resign after the Abu Ghraib revelations, but that President Bush had rejected the offers.  

For most of 2005 and 2006, President Bush continued to back Rumsfeld but his strategy in Iraq had failed and he was a drag on the GOP. Finally, on November 8, 2006, the day after an election in which Democrats had captured control of Congress, Bush announced that Rumsfeld would step down; named to replace him was [[Robert Gates]], a conservative who had headed the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] during the presidency of [[George H. W. Bush]].

For most of 2005 and 2006, President Bush continued to back Rumsfeld but his strategy in Iraq had failed and he was a drag on the GOP. Finally, on November 8, 2006, the day after an election in which Democrats had captured control of Congress, Bush announced that Rumsfeld would step down; named to replace him was [[Robert Gates]], a conservative who had headed the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] during the presidency of [[George H. W. Bush]].

===Resignation===

===Resignation===

Rumsfeld resigned on 18 December 2006 after Democrats won the House and Senate by campaigning against the war and Rumsfeld's handling of the war in Iraq. A number of retired generals, including [[George Soros]] associated Gen. [[Wesley Clark|Clark]], had called for his resignation.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/14/washington/14military.html?_r=1</ref>

Rumsfeld resigned on December 18th, 2006, after Democrats won the House and Senate by campaigning against the war and Rumsfeld's handling of the war in Iraq. A number of retired generals, including [[George Soros]]-associated Gen. [[Wesley Clark]], had called for his resignation.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/14/washington/14military.html?_r=1</ref>

When he began his first term as defense secretary, he was the youngest person in U.S. history to hold that position; when he left office at the end of his second term, he was the oldest.

When he began his first term as defense secretary, he was the youngest person in U.S. history to hold that position; when he left office at the end of his second term, he was the oldest.

==Positions on social issues==

==Positions on social issues==

While Rumsfeld has not expressed support for [[same-sex "marriage"]], he has not condemn it, merely saying that he didn't know whether or not he supports phony homosexual marriages.<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/05/22/rumseld-suggests-gay-marriage-could-lead-to-polygamy/</ref> He supported homosexuals serving in the military.<ref>https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/02/rumsfeld-time-has-come-to-allow-gays-to-serve-openly/</ref>

While Rumsfeld did not express support for [[same-sex "marriage"]], he did not condemned it, merely saying that he didn't know whether or not he supports phony homosexual marriages.<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/05/22/rumseld-suggests-gay-marriage-could-lead-to-polygamy/</ref> He did, however, support homosexuals serving in the military.<ref>https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/02/rumsfeld-time-has-come-to-allow-gays-to-serve-openly/</ref>

While he didn't express support for abortion, he has also failed to condemn it as so far, and his stance on the subject is unrecorded on ''[[On the Issues]]''.<ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/Cabinet/Donald_Rumsfeld_Abortion.htm</ref>

While he didn't express support for abortion, he also failed to condemn it, and his stance on the subject remains unrecorded on ''[[On the Issues]]''.<ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/Cabinet/Donald_Rumsfeld_Abortion.htm</ref>

==Later life==

==Later life==

[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]

[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]

[[Category:United States Appointed Officials]]

[[Category:United States Appointed Officials]]

[[Category:Conservatives]]

[[Category:Neoconservatives]]

[[Category:Republicans]]

[[Category:Republicans]]

[[Category:Reagan Era]]

[[Category:Reagan Era]]