RUMSFELD RESIGNS IN WAKE OF REPUBLICAN DEFEAT
By Ali Halit Aslan, Washington
Zaman, Turkey
Nov 9 2006
U.S. President George Bush was defeated in the midterm elections,
in what became a referendum on his Iraq policy. The outcome of the
elections has to a great extent changed the overall political structure
as well as the composition of Congress.
Above all, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the leading engineer
behind the Iraq invasion, was most affected. Former CIA Director Robert
Gates was appointed for that post. For the first time in 12 years,
the Republicans lost their control over the House of Representatives
to Democrats, who also won control of the Senate.
Describing the elections results as "disappointment," Bush said he
wanted to work with the Democrats on a number of issues, including
the Iraqi situation. The Democrats will seek a new policy orientation
toward Iraq. The new House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, in an attempt to
explain the reason for their demand for a new policy, said, "I hope
the departure of Mr. Rumsfeld will mark a fresh start toward a new
policy in Iraq, signaling a willingness on the part of the president
to work with the Congress to devise a better way forward."
According to the unofficial results, the Democratic Party has
229 seats in the 435-member House of Representatives, while the
Republicans have 196. The Democratic Party secured 50 seats in the
100-member Senate. With the narrow majority of one seat, Democrats
now are guaranteeing the majority in the upper wing of the American
Congress. In Virginia, Democrat Jim Webb edged out the Republican
George Allen. Allen has 10 days to request a re-count in this
critical state.
In a press conference held at White House, President Bush admitted
that his policies, especially the one pursued in Iraq, contributed
to the defeat in the elections. Bush, who said he congratulated
the Democrat leaders for their success, noted that the voters gave
him a clear message: "The American people want their leaders in
Washington to set aside partisan differences, conduct ourselves
in an ethical manner, and work together to address the challenges
facing our nation." Bush assured the public that he would consider
the views of the Democrats and independent Baker-Hamilton commission,
especially on the controversial Iraqi policy.
Meanwhile, it is uncertain how the Democratic Party’s domination
in the House commissions would affect Turkish-American relations,
given the sympathy the Democrats have toward the Armenian allegations.