Not surprising

Rumsfeld will spend the rest of his life defending his tenure as SecDef, but the fact that this trip had to be made in secrecy tells you everything you need to know.

Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld made a secret farewell trip to Iraq, a senior Pentagon official confirmed on Saturday.

Rumsfeld's trip, first reported by ABC News, was his 13th unannounced visit to the country. It came one day after he gave a farewell address at the Pentagon and nine days before he is replaced by Robert Gates.

No other details of Rumsfeld's trip or whether he was still in Iraq were immediately available.

Wow, 13 unannounced visits to Iraq. That could mean Don's last announced visit to Iraq was

We've been in Iraq longer than we were in World War II, and the invasion's architects still can't announce trips there in advance.

The day before his most recent clandestine pop-in, Don gave his farewell speech to personnel at the Pentagon, who have changed the date of their annual holiday party so it doesn't coincide with his departure. (Really, who will feel like partying the day Rumsfeld leaves the Pentagon for good?) While he was giving that address, a federal judge was listening to arguments in a civil suit that claims Rumsfeld authorized illegal interrogation tactics.

It satisfies my sense of justice to see that Rumsfeld's leaving under a cloud of shame and possible legal jeopardy, especially knowing that he's capable of this, part of the Bush administration's awkward display of mock compassion after Hurricane Katrina.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld toured a medical facility at New Orleans' international airport. He spoke and shook hands with military and rescue officials but walked right by a dozen refugees lying on stretchers just feet away from him, most of them extremely sick or handicapped.

What a shame that the American people are losing the services of such a dedicated public servant.