Thursday, December 16, 2004
Posted on Thu, Dec. 16, 2004
SPEECHLott: Replace defense chiefBy MELISSA M. SCALLAN
BILOXI - U.S. Sen. Trent Lott doesn't believe Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld should resign immediately, but he does think Rumsfeld should be replaced sometime in the next year.
"I'm not a fan of Secretary Rumsfeld," Lott, R-Mississippi, told the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday morning. "I don't think he listens enough to his uniformed officers."
Rumsfeld has been criticized since a soldier asked him last week why the combat vehicles used in the war in Iraq don't have the proper armor. Both Rumsfeld and President Bush have said more vehicle armor will be shipped to Iraq.
Lott said the United States needs more troops to help with the war. The country also needs a plan to leave Iraq once elections are over at the end of January.
Lott doesn't think Rumsfeld is necessarily the person to carry out that plan.
"I would like to see a change in that slot in the next year or so," Lott said. "I'm not calling for his resignation, but I think we do need a change at some point."
On another military issue, Lott said he hopes the Base Realignment and Closure Commission will consider closing bases overseas rather than in the United States.
"I think we're looking at closures at home before looking at other parts of the world," he said.
Keesler Air Force Base and the Seabee Base in Gulfport most likely will be spared, Lott said, but Naval Station Pascagoula could be affected.
Melissa Scallan can be reached at 896-0541 or at mmscallan@sunherald.com.
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