Rumsfeld, Cohen Meet, Discuss Defense Transition

Defense Secretary William S. Cohen (left) and Defense Secretary-designate Donald H. Rumsfeld look at old photographs as they meet in Cohen's Pentagon office for a working breakfast on Jan. 5, 2001. Cohen and Rumsfeld met to discuss defense issues and the transition. The photographs are of Rumsfeld during his previous term as defense secretary from 1975 through 1977.   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The two men discussed the transition from the Clinton Administration to the Bush Administration. It was their first meeting since President-elect George W. Bush selected Rumsfeld on Dec. 28.

DoD spokesman Ken Bacon said the men previously spoke on the phone.

Pentagon officials expect the transition to go very smoothly. Bacon said the transition effort has been greatly accelerated by the fact that Bush chose someone who has already been secretary of defense and knows a lot and has been following this issue very closely.

This is Rumsfelds second tour of duty as the defense secretary. He served in the post during the Ford Administration.

Rumsfeld has also stayed very close to defense matters, having served as chairman of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Threat Commission. The Rumsfeld Report concluded that rogue nations could threaten the United States with ballistic missiles topped with weapons of mass destruction. Two months after the report, North Korea launched a missile over Japan that underscored the threat.

Bacon said Rumsfeld and his team have met with people throughout the Pentagon. And we have provided a lot of information to their transition team and made all officials they've requested available to them, Bacon said.

Rumsfeld will go before the Senate Armed Forces Committee for his confirmation hearing Jan. 11.