I protest.

Liar, liar.

Secretary of Offense Donald Rumsfeld on military bases in Iraq: Rumsfeld Denies the U.S. Has Plans for Permanent Iraq Bases. Via the New York Times.

Of course, one of the major reasons for us invading the country in the first place was so we could have a strong foothold in the Middle East. As The Agonist points out, we're reducing our troop presence in Saudi Arabia. Why would we do that? In my considered opinion, only if there were a much better alternative.

Now there is.

I don't believe for a second that Rumsfeld is a complete moron, so he's lying. Which would be generally consistent with his behavior, wouldn't it?