Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid

Just as the Arab architect who designed the tower and then was thrown from it, Rumsfeld no longer has a part to play in Iraq. The time has come for the president to throw — at least metaphorically — his secretary of defense from the tower.

The sad reality is that Bush should have done so a long time ago; if he had, he would probably have prevented many problems. The number of people who abhor the American secretary of defense increases every day and even a staid British magazine such as “The Economist” called on its cover article for Rumsfeld’s ouster.

There were two separate occasions when the president would have benefited from kicking the defense secretary out of his government. The first was after the war was won and the US began looking for the support of countries that had rejected the war — specifically Germany and France, who were ready to cooperate with the victorious power.

Rumsfeld, however, remained an obstacle and their aversion to him increased over time with the worsening situation in Iraq. The second occasion was the increasing annoyance of the military leadership with the civilian minister whom they held responsible for all mistakes that were made.

If the president sacrifices Rumsfeld today, he will win one battle — public opinion — which characterizes Rumsfeld and no one else as the bad cop in the government and considers him an imperious person who scorns all who do not agree with him. This is the overwhelming feeling in the Arab world where Rumsfeld has become more famous than any other secretary of defense in American history.

Even though it is unusual for feelings in foreign countries to influence the appointment or sacking of a government minister, Arab feelings should not be marginalized this time. America’s interests in the region have grown since the occupation of Iraq.

Iraqi affairs have become more complicated and there have been corresponding escalations in Palestine and Iran, with Al-Qaeda and then with the price of oil. There are no other pressing issues outside the Middle East, except for North Korea, that the US administration has to manage.

Even if Arab feelings are considered of no importance, the anger with Rumsfeld has reached the limit among Americans themselves, especially after the US media intensified their coverage of the sickening goings-on inside Abu Ghraib prison.

Six photographs have done more damage to the image of the US Army than anything else. The army is a source of pride for all Americans, as it is to all nations with strong feelings of patriotism.

We must however recognize the problems of imbalance inside the American arena — ousting Rumsfeld would have its consequences among Bush’s supporters as he is one of the pillars of the government, a hawk and a hero to the right. Bush depends on the votes and support of that important wing of the Republican Party.

Seen in that context, kicking Rumsfeld out could hurt Bush’s chances in the elections. Bush will pay a price one way or another, either in the elections or outside them. There is certainly no denying the international outcry for Rumsfeld’s departure.