Donald Henry Rumsfeld was an American politician, businessman, naval officer, and diplomat who served as the 13th United States secretary of defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and
Official portrait, 2001
Rumsfeld's 1954 yearbook portrait from Princeton
Rumsfeld (right, standing) as a Navy lieutenant in 1955
Rumsfeld during his time in Congress
Shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001, the United States declared the war on terror and subsequently led a multinational military operation against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The stated goal
Soviet troops in 1986 during the Soviet–Afghan War
In an address to a joint session of the US Congress on 20 September 2001, US President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban deliver Osama bin Laden and destroy bases of al-Qaeda.
In the days and weeks immediately following 9/11, Osama bin Laden repeatedly denied having any role.
US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld