Donald Rumsfeld Died

Misbar's investigation found that Rumsfeld died at age 88 from multiple myeloma, a form of bone cancer. Public figures, including former President Bush, gave their condolences.

Rumsfeld was involved in the beginning of the War on Terror and the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. Some called him the “architect” of the War on Terror and a war criminal.   

Others found him to be an "exceedingly decent human being."

Along with Vice President Dick Cheney, Rumsfeld asserted that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, largely cited as the reason to go to war. He advised against withdrawing from Afghanistan and Iraq and refused to broker a truce with the Taliban. While public support was initially high for wars in the Middle East following 9/11, Rumsfeld resigned when support started to wane.

He was also known for a speech in which he differentiated “known knowns,” “known unknowns” and “unknown unknowns.”

There’s no doubt that Rumsfeld left a difficult legacy. For better or for worse, he had a large impact on modern U.S. history and its foreign policy approach to the Middle East. 

Donald Rumsfeld's impact on American history will likely continue to be felt for decades to come.