Ticking people off

WASHINGTON -- For a man whose epithets are not much saltier than "by golly," Donald H. Rumsfeld can tick people off, and the list of the offended grew during his first months as defense secretary.

Members of Congress resented how he dismissed their worries about closing military bases. "Life's hard," he said. His independent streak was stirring grumbles in the Pentagon, too.

What a difference a war makes. Yesterday's brusqueness is today's steadfastness.

Characteristics that had the former Navy aviator close to the ropes before Sept. 11 have become his strengths in putting forward the public face of the war on terrorism.

"He's keeping secrets, he looks strong and that's what you want," said military analyst Joseph Cirincione. "A few months ago those same qualities looked arrogant and ignorant.

Rumsfeld is on display more than ever, coming forward almost daily to discuss the war effort but also, increasingly, in appearances such as his recent visits to the rubble of the World Trade Center and the Navy's boot camp in Illinois.

His televised briefings have become great theater, featuring unrehearsed discourse, evasive maneuvers, flashes of anger and a sharp wit, peppered with phrases like "my goodness" and "gee."

One minute he is musing about how Osama bin Laden might slip away. The next, he is holding forth about how a man might decide to give up terrorism.

"It's when a person gets up in the morning and says it's not worth it. 'I'm either dead or I'm wounded or there is no place to go or I don't have food, and I can't get anyone on the telephone, and I don't know what to do next."'

Asked about war priorities, he did the unusual in a capital that treats many priorities as equal so as not to offend anyone. He listed them in order.

No. 1 was tracking down the Taliban and al-Qaida leadership. Humanitarian aid came in at No. 4. In between, destroying the enemy's military capability and helping Afghans set up a stable society.

Perhaps most noteworthy is his capacity for understatement.

On a day when Taliban fighters were fleeing to safety, he supposed they might be having "some communication difficulties."

What are U.S. commandos doing? "Things that are helpful to our side and unhelpful to the other side."

Rumsfeld bristles when presented with disturbing if vague reports of atrocities allegedly committed by America's advancing Afghan allies. Press leaks anger him, too.

At age 69 and in his second stint as defense secretary after 23 years in private business, Rumsfeld is thought to have no higher ambition in government.

That has made him a free spirit, or at least not a man to worry about upsetting people.

His prime mission before Sept. 11 was to reorganize the military and tighten spending, an effort that includes closing bases dear to members of Congress.

Pentagon-watchers said he wasted much good will and prompted inside complaints about his use of outside consultants to examine the budget.

The reorganization still awaits him. Said Cirincione: "That's where we'll see if Rumsfeld is up for the job."