Rep. Ryan refuses Rumsfeld's invite

The congressman is willing to meet with the defense secretary privately.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan said he purposely blew off a meeting with the U.S. secretary of defense because he had no interest in being "used" by Republicans trying to put a positive spin on the Iraq war.
The three Republicans and three Democrats, including Ryan, of Niles, who toured Iraq in late November were invited to a meeting last week with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
But Ryan, D-17th, as well as the two other Democrats -- U.S. Reps. Kendrick B. Meek of Florida and Adam Smith of Washington -- didn't attend.
'PR machine'
"The White House has turned on their PR machine to put a happy face on the war and they were looking for Democratic members to be part of the window dressing," said Ryan, a second-term House member. "I haven't been down here long, but I know when I'm being used."
The meeting with Rumsfeld was open to the national press.
"My concern was it was going to be nothing more than a photo op," Ryan said. "It made me uncomfortable. It didn't pass the smell test. Why does the national media have to be there?"
Should be private
Ryan said if Rumsfeld was sincere about meeting with him and other House Democrats critical of how the White House is handling Iraq, the get-together should be private.
"I've got a big ego, but I know Donald Rumsfeld isn't interested in listening to me about Iraq," Ryan said. "We won't be pawns in the game. As a newer member of Congress, they thought I would bite and I didn't."
Ryan said he has asked Rumsfeld's staff for a private meeting in the past with the defense secretary, and the requests were rejected.
After leaving Iraq, Ryan said the United States should start a withdrawal of its troops from the country within six months.
Pushes for timetable
A member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, Ryan said a timetable to remove nearly all of the 160,000 U.S. troops in Iraq must be put in place. Without a timetable, there is no incentive for the Iraqis to govern and protect themselves, he said.
The Bush administration made "critical mistakes" in the early days of the Iraqi invasion, Ryan said, such as not having enough troops to help with the restoration.
skolnick@vindy.com