Feinstein calls for Rumsfeld to resign

By Jason Bennert, Bay City News Service

March 20, 2006

SAN JOSE (BCN) - Sen. Dianne Feinstein today called for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and for U.S. troop strength in Iraq to be halved by the end of the year.

Speaking before the Silicon Valley Leadership Group in San Jose, Feinstein, D-Calif., said that on the third anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq that President George W. Bush needs "to bring in a new team," starting with Rumsfeld.

"He's been Secretary of Defense for a long period of time. It's not been a successful mission. We were not greeted as liberators," Feinstein said.

California's senior senator also called for a dramatic reduction in American forces in Iraq this year.

"If we're at 130,000 we ought to take it down by the end of the year by 80,000 or so," Feinstein said.

Feinstein's appearance before the SVLG was her fifth annual "Report from Washington" to the group and she came bearing a gift for the South Bay. She announced to San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales that she had found $2 million in federal money this year for a new Blossom Hill Road overpass for the area where a toddler was killed earlier this year.

"It's wonderful news," Gonzales said after the speech.

City officials were not expecting to get the money until next year at the earliest and so Gonzales did not know when construction could begin or the overpass would be completed.

Feinstein told the largely technology industry crowd that she supported two of their key issues: expanding the H-1B visa program and extending the research and development tax credit.

She also praised the region's business leaders for becoming involved in civic projects such as the effort to extend BART to San Jose and the restoration of the Cargill salt pounds at the southern end of San Francisco Bay.

"The American business community has to become more involved in their communities, much as you do here in San Jose," Feinstein said.

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