Back in 1983, before
Donald Rumsfeld served as the secretary of defense under President George W. Bush and led the policies on Afghanistan and Iraq, he was a Reagan-appointed special envoy to the Middle East and met with Saddam Hussein at his imperial palace in Iraq. They discussed the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, the prevention of Iranian arms sales, and the possibility of an oil pipeline across Jordan. But when Rumsfeld wrote his memoir,
Known and Unknown (released early last year), he spent most of the book writing about his five-year tenure under Bush. The book was called "exhaustive, exasperating but vigorously written" by
L.A. Times reviewer Tim Rutten.
Known and Unknown is the subject of Rumsfeld's appearance today at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum (500 West U.S. Highway 24, Independence, 816-268-8200).
The Kansas City Star's Steve Kraske moderates the free event, which begins at 3 p.m. (Doors open at 2:30.) For more information, see
trumanlibrary.org.
— Berry Anderson
816-833-1225
