Rumsfeld To Take Post At Stanford's Hoover Think Tank

Donald H. Rumsfeld, the former U.S. secretary of defense who resigned under fire after directing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, will be a visiting fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, the research center announced. Rumsfeld will serve on a task force of scholars and experts who will focus on issues pertaining to "ideology and terror," the conservative think tank announced Friday in a press release. "I have asked Don to join the distinguished group of scholars that will pursue new insights on the direction of thinking that the United States might consider going forward," said John Raisian, the institution's director.Rumsfeld resigned in November, a day after congressional elections that cost Republicans control of Congress. Dissatisfaction with his handling of the Iraq war was cited by many as a major element of voter dissatisfaction with Republicans during the last national election. In addition, a number of Republican lawmakers in Congress urged President George W. Bush to dump Rumsfeld. The Hoover Institution, a well-funded Republican think tank, has a long list of former officials on its roster. Former commander of the U.S. Central Command, Retired Army Gen. John Abizaid, is serving as a fellow. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has also stated publicly her desire to return to Stanford in 2009.