Hush up generals

Times like ours are complicated, and complicated times come with complicated issues.\nAbout a week ago, a half-dozen retired generals began speaking out against Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and demanded his resignation. The charge: \nmismanagement. \nWait, some people don't like the way their bosses manage things? Sound the alarm!\nSounds quite silly, doesn't it? Look, publicly venting your beef is something no mature person does to their boss -- before or after retirement, military or non-military. I learned this the hard way during my first semesters at the Indiana Daily Student. But I was 19. These generals are much more experienced than that.\nSome would say because the Defense Department's actions monumentally affect so many, we should praise these generals for voicing their dissent, and that speaking out against a policy-maker is more justifiable than speaking out against, say, a CEO of a financial company. I, too, have nothing against dissent. It is essential to a democracy. But I say their timing is way off.\nNot only are we in the middle of a war in Iraq, but we're now facing immediate action with Iran, too. The trials of Saddam Hussein and Zacharias Moussaoui are also reminding us how psychotic these radicals really are. And the Palestinian government just praised a bombing that killed nine Israelis. In other words, we have much bigger fish to fry than complaining about the secretary's management style. \nIf their point is to get a change of leadership, they're not going to get it. Through all the changes in President Bush's cabinet, Rumsfeld has remained on the most solid ground -- Bush has never indicated he wanted a change at the Pentagon. He recently released a statement saying Rumsfeld has his "full support and deepest appreciation." Surprised? You shouldn't be, and neither should the generals. If they knew anything about the administration for which they worked, they would have known their dissent was not going to faze the president.\nIs there a better time to voice such opinions? It seems to me that the presidential election of 2008 would be a much better time to discuss management style matters because there is actual potential for change, politics are heightened and the people have a chance to react. Right now, all their comments can do is damage the Defense Department's reputation and hurt morale. Or, they could just get over it. Like any other boss, the secretary cannot please everyone. \nThe bigger problem is why we pay so much attention to stories like these. I know many colleagues would disagree with me on this one, but part of the fault lies with journalists who, once presented with such information, go gaga over yet more criticism of the Bush administration. I don't think journalists seek out stories that damage the administration's reputation, but they sure don't mind the implications their stories have.\nLook, I don't like Rumsfeld all that much either. Out of all of Bush's cabinet members, his arrogance bothers me the most. Yes, he's made mistakes, and I wish he would at least acknowledge them, too. But I'd rather have someone firm like him than a wishy-washy idiot who caters to every whim of dissent -- internal or external.