For Democrats, Welcome Words on Rumsfeld -- if Not the War

The officers' bipartisan scolding disappointed some of the antiwar activists in the crowd, who wore colorful shirts with messages such as "Troops Home Fast" and "Say No to War."

"Peace is the solution, not more war," one activist shouted as the session ended.

But on balance, the retired officers' strong words about the war's conduct outweighed their calls for a greater commitment to Iraq. "Secretary Rumsfeld built his team by systematically removing dissension," Batiste said. "At one point, he threatened to fire the next person who talked about the need for a postwar plan."

Rumsfeld "has tried and continues to fight this war on the cheap," Eaton added. "The Army is in terrible shape, and the Marines aren't much better."

"It is time for him to provide the nation the last in a long series of services and step down," Hammes said coolly.

Rumsfeld himself, meeting with Afghanistan's president yesterday, answered the dissidents' calls for his resignation with a two-word answer. "I'm not," he told reporters, and then he asked for a different question.

But those at the hearing practiced no such economy of words. Dorgan twice referred to William Manchester's "Glory and the Dream." Antiwar Rep. Walter Jones (N.C.), the lone Republican participant, quoted Rudyard Kipling: If any question why we died/ Tell them, because our fathers lied.

In between literary allusions, senators worked to squeeze every possible criticism out of the witnesses. When Batiste spoke about the need for strong leadership, Durbin tried to lead the witness. "What I hear you saying," Durbin said, "is we're talking about political competence, too."

"Absolutely," Batiste complied.

The questioners skillfully directed the witnesses toward past failures rather than their expansive prescriptions for the future. A notable exception was the relatively hawkish Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), who, as the last questioner, invited the officers to comment on the effect of a specific withdrawal date.

"The result will be a civil war of some magnitude that will turn into a regional mess," Batiste said without hesitation.

As he stood to leave, Batiste worried that this last point -- the need to stay in Iraq -- might be overlooked. "The hard part," he told reporters, "is moving forward."

Did he detect any enthusiasm for making a bigger effort in Iraq?

"God help us if there's not," the general said.