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Donald Rumsfeld biography

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Donald Rumsfeld is a political figure known for being the secretary of defense under both President Gerald Ford and President George W. Bush.

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Donald Rumsfeld served in the administrations of presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and George W. Bush. Following the September 11, 2001, attacks, Rumsfeld oversaw the U.S.-led attack on Afghanistan that resulted in the overthrow of the Taliban. The Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein was also toppled, and he initially earned praise for his handling of the war but resigned in 2006 after much criticism.

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US Republican politician, born July 9, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Donald Rumsfeld served as secretary of defense in the Republican administrations of Presidents Gerald R. Ford and George W. Bush.

Rumsfeld studied at Princeton University (AB 1954), then served in the US Navy. He served three terms in the House of Representatives (1962-9), then joined the Nixon administration as an assistant to the president (1969-72). He was chief-of-staff under Gerald Ford (1974-5), who also appointed him defense secretary (1975-7). He then became president and chief executive officer for the pharmaceutical firm G D Searle & Co (1977??85), held posts in various business corporations, and for a time was Ronald Reagan's special ambassador to the Middle East (1983-4). He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977.

Appointed defense secretary (2001) by George W Bush, he was responsible for the US campaign during the Iraq War (2003). Following the September 11, 2001, Rumsfeld oversaw the U.S.-led attack on Afghanistan that resulted in the overthrow of the Taliban. The Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein was also toppled, and he initially earned praise for his handling of the war. However, as the fighting continued, some accused him of deploying an inadequate number of troops. He resigned as defense secretary on November 7, 2006 after much criticism from the public and even from within his own party for his handling of the war in Iraq. Rumsfeld was replaced by Robert M. Gates in December 2006.

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