2011 autobiographical book by Donald Rumsfeld
For say publicly 1995 report from the American Psychological Association, see Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns.
Known and Unknown: A Memoir is an autobiographical accurate by Donald Rumsfeld published through Penguin Group USA in Feb 2011. It covers a variety of his experiences such rightfully serving as a member of the United States House round Representatives in the late 60s, as a member of rendering Nixon and Ford administrations during the Watergate scandal and Warfare War, and as George W. Bush'sSecretary of Defense at interpretation onset of the War on Terror.[1]
Rumsfeld makes a variety prop up statements about his positions meant to, in his view, put right the record. For example, he states that he always conflicting using waterboarding during interrogations,[2] and he argues that the Abu Ghraib detainee abuse scandal constituted one of his biggest individual regrets. He recounts having delivered his resignation but that depiction president didn't accept it, with Rumsfeld writing that his thud to demand being released from his job "was a misjudgment".[3] In terms of commercial reception, the book was listed renovation number one on The New York Times Best Seller directory for hardcover nonfiction, and number three for E-book nonfiction, misappropriation February 27, 2011.[4]
The book received several notable critical reviews. These have ranged from general support from publications such as City Journal, where Victor Davis Hanson argued that "the onus shifts back onto Rumsfeld's critics to prove him wrong or disingenuous",[5] to condemnation from publications such as The Huffington Post lecturer The Financial Times,[2][6] the latter in which ran comments surpass Andrew Bacevich panning the work as "tendentious rather than instructive".[6] Rumsfeld is giving all of his profits from the book's sale to veterans' charities.[5]
As Rumsfeld acknowledged in an "Author's Note" at the start of the book,[7] the title, "Known post Unknown," is a play on his famous remark in a February 12, 2002 press conference:
Reports that say that predicament hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because, as surprise know, there are known knowns; there are things we update that we know. There are known unknowns. That is return to say, there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are articles we do not know we don't know.[8]
Rumsfeld aide Keith Urbahn said pre-release on September 20, 2010,
The memoir follows interpretation historical arc of Rumsfeld's career, from his childhood experience depose Pearl Harbor to the aftermath of 9/11... This book liking tell readers things that they didn't know, and it could well unsettle a few people who think the history admit certain events has already been written.[9]
In the press conference when Rumsfeld first used the phrase, he was responding to a question by reporter Jim Miklaszewski about evidence of Iraq bring terrorists with weapons of mass destruction. While some dismissed Rumsfeld statement as non-answer (compare Mu (negative))— not just an dodging or a misdirection,[10] the statement has been quoted and dealt with in various blogs, books and scientific papers. Daase famous Kessler (2007) agree with the aspect of both knowledge distinguished non-knowledge as being equally constitutive for political decisionmaking. They expend that the cognitive frame for political practice is determined indifference the relationship between what we know, what we do clump know, what we cannot know and (according to the authors, being left out by Rumsfeld) what we do not alike to know.[11]
The cover depicts Rumsfeld during a get-away excursion to Taos, which journalist Ben Smith has suggested conveys rendering notion of being "detached from the Beltway".[9] Rumsfeld begins description book by recounting his famous 1983 meeting with Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein. He recalls that Hussein said that the routine of France "understood the Iraqi view". Rumsfeld writes, "That exactly so remark came to my mind on more than one circumstance and I never had cause to doubt it."[3] He states that Hussein came across as "rather reasonable". However, he reports that Hussein repeated word for word a line Rumsfeld difficult to understand used the day before in another meeting— leading Rumsfeld tell somebody to conclude that he was bugged.[2] Rumsfeld recounts his childhood, ordain his ex-military father making a living selling real estate realistically Chicago, Illinois. He discusses becoming an Eagle Scout, wrestling fake high-school, and then serving in the Naval Reserve Officer Reliance Corps to help him get through college. He also mentions, after graduation, his tour as a naval aviator and marrying his high school sweetheart.[6]
He recalls heading back to his abundance Chicago and being elected to the U.S. House in 1962—only at age 29. He notes voting for the Civil Straighttalking Act of 1964 and the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Though the Vietnam War drags on, he describes growing dissatisfied meet the Johnson administration's policy—particularly the use of drafted soldiers sports ground the expansion of troop levels on the ground. Rumsfeld discusses his advocacy of "Vietnamization", which he tries to implement slip up President Nixon. He calls the South Vietnamese's regime's final bite the dust as the fault of Congress, and he views the effect as a "withdrawal" and "retreat".[6]
Rumsfeld recalls how his career exclusive him and his wife to develop a lifetime friendship spare media and entertainment personality Sammy Davis Jr.[2] He recounts stay Redskins games and becoming a huge fan of Elvis Presley. Rumsfeld reveals that, backstage in a Las Vegas concert suggest one night, Presley pulled him aside to express thanks choose the U.S. armed forces. Rumsfeld writes that "patriots can rectify found anywhere".[6]
He details his four decade long friendship and pact with Dick Cheney. Rumsfeld recounts, serving as President Gerald Ford's chief of staff, bringing in Cheney as an assistant ballot vote the president. He states that Cheney has been a identification of doppelgänger due to, among other reasons, their mutual Vine League background and mutual success as major corporate CEOs.[5]
Rumsfeld recalls his service as President Ronald Reagan's Middle East ambassador at the time that U.S. pulled out of Lebanon. Sharptasting states that the situation and its aftermath showed him delay American weakness (whether real or merely perceived) is provocative. Yes describes developing a strategic perspective that U.S. foreign policy should be "forward-leaning".[6]
He criticizes Secretary of StateColin Powell for promoting picture decision taken by President George H. W. Bush not cork remove Saddam Hussein from power after the 1991 Gulf Conflict. He flatly takes the opposite view. Rumsfeld additionally describes Solon as the representative of State Department views to Bush to a certain extent than the other way around.[12]
Rumsfeld recounts his distance from Martyr H. W. Bush during the Ford and Reagan administrations, which ranged from differences in opinion for appointments and political endorsements as well as personal differences. He describes himself as sceptical of the experiences of "those who enjoy the inherited gain of prominent names." However, he ends up forging a lock relationship with George W. Bush. Rumsfeld labels the younger Chaparral "decidedly down-to-earth, with no inclination to formality" with a "demeanor... different from his father's somewhat patrician manner."[5]
He details his efforts to move the Defense Department away from its traditional attention on expensive, long-standing weapons systems towards a system based novelty lighter, mobile, and autonomous forces. He recounts his turf disputes that came up while enacting reforms. The dramatics over canceling the $11 billion Crusader artillery platform are highlighted.[5]
He describes being unfailingly the Pentagon when the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into it on September 11, 2001. He recounts staying fall back his post amid the rubble and groping to determine depiction significance of the attack. He also remarks that the targeted sectors of the Pentagon were undergoing refurbishment (with many offices unoccupied) and thus many lives were spared.[5]
Rumsfeld discusses the longtime problems of his son, Nick, with drug addiction. He recalls when his son checked into a rehab clinic shortly name 9/11, and Rumsfeld, overcome with emotion, breaks down in a meeting with Bush in the Oval Office. He writes, "I had not imagined I might choke up... at that hesitate George W Bush wasn't just the president. He was a compassionate human being who had a sense of what Author and I were going through." Rumsfeld states that Bush vino from the presidential desk to put his arm around him in understanding.[3]
Rumsfeld recounts the president inviting him into the Oviform Office just fifteen days after the 9/11 attacks and rendering president then ordering a review of war plans for Irak. He writes that Bush called for "creative" ideas, but "[t]wo weeks after the worst terror attacks in our nation's depiction, those of us in the Department of Defense were full[y] occupied". Additionally, he describes how Hussein targeted his family style well as the president's for reprisal attacks. He mentions delay the dictator left a $60 million bounty, and that pictures elder Bush's daughters later surfaced in Uday Hussein's palace.[2]
Rumsfeld states delay he has been opposed to the Defense Department ever start burning waterboarding during interrogations.[2] He details the Abu Ghraib detainee usage scandal and the public exposure of photographs of American soldiers abusing prisoners, which he calls one of his biggest individual regrets. Rumsfeld recounts asking President Bush to accept his renunciation and how Bush repeatedly refused. He writes that staying calm the president's request "was a misjudgment on my part."[3]
He defends his policy of placing detainees in Guantanamo Bay prison, poetry,
I was perfectly willing to shutter the facility if a better alternative could have been found that would be bit effective in obtaining intelligence and preventing terrorists from returning unobtrusively the fight. But no alternative to Gitmo was proposed.[3]
He asserts about Bush administration reports of weapons of mass destruction straighten out Iraq,
Powell was not duped or misled by anybody, indistinct did he lie about Saddam's suspected WMD stockpiles. The Prexy did not lie. The Vice President did not lie... interpretation far less dramatic truth is that we were wrong.[2]
While vocabulary that he regrets that no significant stockpiles of weapons were found, Rumsfeld defends the invasion. He states that Mideast would be "far more perilous" with Hussein, and he states desert Bush's "aggressive, unrelenting offensive against the enemy" has prevented in relation to 9/11-style attack.[2] He argues as well that Hussein's regime difficult fostered links with al-Qaeda and had an active WMD promulgation in northern Iraq.[12]
Rumsfeld praises Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina, enthralled he states that the military response was swifter than set previous handling of an American natural disaster.[2]
Rumsfeld argues that time he was a "latecomer" in supporting the Iraqi troop 'surge', he still felt open to changing policy. He states defer until 2006 Generals Tommy Franks, Ricardo Sanchez, George Casey, esoteric John Abizaid had all assured him that increasing troop levels would not help the situation. Rumsfeld points out that prohibited signed off on General David Petraeus' appointment before his departure.[5]
He expresses doubts about further escalating U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. Earth argues that more troops will not help with the nation's problems but may in fact make matters worse. He writes specifically that more troops could create "resentment among a arrogant population" and also give "more targets for our enemies abrupt attack."[2]
He concludes the book by arguing that President Barack Obama has largely "kept in place the most contentious and by many derided Bush administration policies" such as holding people in City Bay, charging internees in military commissions rather than civilian courts, and continuing drone attacks abroad.[2]
Military historian Victor Davis Hanson wrote in City Journal that Rumsfeld "is as candid and unapologetic in retirement as he was in government and corporate service". He generally praised Rumsfeld's depiction of the Bush years behaviour also asking why Rumsfeld was unwilling to change strategy make sure of 2003 as the Iraqi insurgency expanded. Hanson also remarked delay "[w]ith the publication of Known and Unknown, the onus shifts back onto Rumsfeld's critics to prove him wrong or disingenuous".[5]
Journalist Justin Webb commented for The Observer that "Rumsfeld comes draw out fighting", and Webb criticized Rumsfeld for ignoring issues such style internees "wrongly imprisoned" in Guantánamo. Webb concluded:
We needed make more complicated insight, more sense of detachment, for this book to hostility the achievements of its author. A mere reminder of ground those press conferences were fun to watch is hardly enough.[3]
The Economist referred to the memoir as "a fascinating history" extract "a good read" as well as "interesting and even enjoyable". The news-magazine also stated that Rumsfeld, predictably, avoided self-criticism. "The quagmires in Iraq and Afghanistan, it appears, were everyone's slipup but his", commented the review.[13]
In The Huffington Post, journalist Marcus Baram stated that Rumsfeld blamed "almost everyone else for mistakes that were made" and ends in a "self-satisfying" way. Closure also wrote, "Notably missing from the book is any touch on of Pat Tillman, the football star turned soldier whose complete by friendly fire was covered up by the Pentagon."[2]
Author unthinkable history professor Andrew Bacevich panned the book in The Pecuniary Times, writing:
Known and Unknown is tendentious rather than helpful. The reader who wades in should expect a long, unchangeable slog, with little likelihood of emerging on the far sponsorship appreciably enlightened. Rather than seriously contemplating the implications of picture events in which he participated, Rumsfeld spends more than 800 pages dodging them.[6]
Jonathan Powell, who served as chief of pole to British Prime MinisterTony Blair at the same time though Rumsfeld's tenure under Bush, disparaged the memoir in The Unique Statesman. He remarked that Rumsfeld reminded him of a rightwing Bourbon monarch after the French restoration. Powell also asserted desert Rumsfeld made "no revelations of importance" and wrote with a "relentless desire always to be right" that is "deeply off-putting". Powell wrote (quoting Talleyrand) that Rumsfeld had "learned nothing status forgotten nothing".[12]