ACCESSING CLASSIFIED FILES
Decrypting documents...
Your connection is being monitored
Back to Individuals
critical risk$30+ million (at death)
Donald Henry Rumsfeld
Former Secretary of Defense
Iraq War Architect, Torture Program Overseer, Military-Industrial Complex Operator
Overview
Donald Rumsfeld served twice as Secretary of Defense and was a principal architect of the Iraq War. He oversaw the Abu Ghraib torture scandal, authorized"enhanced interrogation techniques,"dismissed concerns about troop levels and post-war planning, and cultivated a culture of secrecy and deception. His arrogant mismanagement led to catastrophic failures in Iraq, thousands of American deaths, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilian casualties. His infamous"known unknowns"philosophy masked deliberate ignorance.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
IRAQ WAR ARCHITECT: Principal designer of Iraq invasion based on false WMD claims, killed 200,000+ civilians
ABU GHRAIB TORTURE: Authorized interrogation techniques that led to torture and abuse scandal, approved"stress positions"and other torture methods
RUMSFELD MEMO: December 2002 memo authorized torture techniques, wrote"I stand for 8-10 hours a day. Why is standing limited to 4 hours?"
TROOP LEVEL DISASTER: Dismissed Army Chief Shinseki's call for 300,000+ troops, sent only 150,000; insufficient for occupation
"STUFF HAPPENS": Dismissed looting of Iraqi museums and infrastructure with callous"stuff happens"comment
ARMOR SHORTAGE: Troops lacked armored vehicles and body armor -"you go to war with the army you have"
KNOWN UNKNOWNS: Used philosophical rhetoric to deflect accountability for intelligence failures
PNAC SIGNATORY: Signed 1998 letter calling for Iraq regime change, pre-planned invasion
GILEAD TAMIFLU: Held Gilead stock (maker of Tamiflu) while pushing bird flu fears; conflict of interest
FIRED DISSENT: Fired Army Secretary Thomas White and other officials who questioned his plans
INSURGENCY DENIAL: Refused to call Iraqi resistance an"insurgency"for years despite military advice
Related Investigations (11)
Abu Ghraib: Systematic Torture and the Chain of CommandGovernment Abuse
Tier 4
criticalAbu Ghraib TortureMilitary & Foreign Policy
Tier 1
criticalThe Afghanistan PapersMilitary & Foreign Policy
Tier 2
criticalCIA Torture ProgramGovernment Abuse
Tier 1
criticalGuant\u00e1namo BayMilitary & Foreign Policy
Tier 2
criticalIraq War DeceptionWar Crimes
Tier 4
criticalIraq WarWar Crimes
Tier 3
criticalIraq War CrimesWar Crimes
Tier 3
criticalIraq War LiesMilitary & Foreign Policy
Tier 1
criticalNeoconservative NetworkForeign Policy
Tier 4
highOffice of Special PlansIntelligence Manipulation
Tier 1
criticalCriminal Charges & Violations
9 documented violations
Rome Statute Article 8(2)(a)(ii)War Crime; Torture (Abu Ghraib, authorized techniques)(War Crimes)
Rome Statute Article 8(2)(a)(iii)War Crime; Willfully causing great suffering(War Crimes)
Rome Statute Article 7(1)(f)Crime Against Humanity; Torture as policy(International)
Convention Against Torture Article 1Torture; Authorized and approved torture methods(International)
Nuremberg Principle VI(a)Crime Against Peace; Planning and waging aggressive war(International)
Nuremberg Principle VI(b)War Crime; Ill-treatment of prisoners of war(International)
Geneva Convention III Article 17Torture of POWs; Authorized stress positions, sleep deprivation(International)
18 U.S.C. § 2340ATorture; Direct authorization of torture techniques(Federal)
UCMJ Article 93Cruelty and Maltreatment; Created conditions for abuse(Military)
Known Associates & Connections
George W. Bush
President who appointed him
Dick Cheney
Vice President, longtime ally, Iraq War co-architect
Condoleezza Rice
NSA/Secretary of State, bureaucratic rival
Paul Wolfowitz
Deputy, Iraq War architect
Colin Powell
Secretary of State, skeptic of his plans
George Tenet
CIA Director, provided intelligence
Sources & Documentation
6 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
- Born
- July 9, 1932
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Also Known As
- Rummy, The Known Unknown
Education
- •B.A. in Political Science, Princeton University (1954)
- •U.S. Navy Flight Training
Key Timeline
July 9, 1932
Born in Chicago, Illinois
1954
Graduates Princeton, joins Navy as pilot
1962
Elected to Congress from Illinois
1975-1977
First term as Secretary of Defense under Ford (youngest ever)
1977-1985
CEO of G.D. Searle; oversaw aspartame FDA approval controversy
1983-1984
Reagan envoy to Middle East, shakes hands with Saddam Hussein
1997-2001
Chairman of Gilead Sciences
1998
Signs PNAC letter calling for Iraq regime change
January 2001
Returns as Secretary of Defense under George W. Bush
September 11, 2001
Pentagon attacked, immediately looks for Iraq connection
November 2001
Approves interrogation techniques for Guantanamo
December 2002
Signs memo authorizing torture techniques
March 2003
Iraq War begins under his direction
April 2003
"Stuff happens"comment about Iraq looting
April 2004
Abu Ghraib torture photos released publicly
December 2004
"You go to war with the army you have"comment
November 2006
Resigns as SecDef after Republicans lose midterms
June 29, 2021
Dies at 88 without facing accountability