Rumsfeld Differences essays

Powell/Rumsfeld Differences essays The rift in ideology and policy ideals between Secretary of State Colon Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had been catching the medias attention lately. In this paper, we will look at what these differenced are, what may be the cause of them, and with whom the President is siding with to formulate policy. It seems as of now, that the policy ideals of Secretary Rumsfeld are winning out over those of Secretary Powell partly because of the rekindled hard-line attitude of the American public following the events of September 11th. First, a brief background of the events on which this division of policy is based will be given in this paper, followed by Secretary Rumsfelds ideals and arguments, then those of Secretary Powell. We will then look at the policy decisions President Bush has made on this topic, and how the international community could perceive said policy. Let us look at the situation in Cuba and the decisions facing President Bush. Right now there are approximately three hundred detainees being held by United States forces at Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba. Now, one might ask why these prisoners are being classified as detainees and not as prisoners of war. The United States is engaged in a self-proclaimed War on Terrorism, now being fought in Afghanistan. The foes being fought there are the forces of the Taliban regime and the Al Qaida terror network. Are these persons not combatants, are they not prisoners of a war? According to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and his camp; no, they are not. Yet according to Secretary of State Colon Powell; yes, they are. The camp referred to as Donald Rumsfelds includes Vice President Dick Cheney and Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz. They share the common view that the prisoners detained in Cuba, and in Afghanistan, are not Prisoners of War. According to the Geneva Convention, a pri...