Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is expressing his gratitude to American troops through a videotaped farewell message. Rumsfeld says during his six years as the Pentagon's chief, he has had the opportunity and privilege to serve with the greatest military the world has ever known.The soon-to-be former defense secretary will bid an official goodbye to his constituents today. He steps down amid much criticism over the war in Iraq. "I leave knowing that the true strength of our military lies not in our weapons, but in the hearts of the men and women in uniform," says Rumsfeld.
He is the public face of the Iraq war. Donald Rumsfeld exits his job to standing ovations at the Pentagon, but to increasingly cold public assessments of the war blueprint he drafted as Secretary of Defense. "I wish I could say that everything we've done here has gone perfectly, but that's not how life works, regrettably," Rumsfeld says.
Rumsfeld's critics say history will remember him as the secretary who did not send enough troops to Iraq, then was in denial of the insurgency. But Rumsfeld remains unapologetic; emotional when he speaks of the troops. "It has been the highest honor of my life to serve with you, the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces," Rumsfeld told the troops. "You define the American spirit."