Mullen is not considered one of the brainy futurists or crusaders who once surrounded Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
The administration also worries that defenestrating Mr Rumsfeld would bring more costs than benefits.
Alas for Mr Rumsfeld, there is plenty of other evidence that abuse was widespread.
It now looks exceedingly unlikely that the White House will give Mr Rumsfeld the push.
Mr Rumsfeld's trip to Iraq may turn out to be a tour de force.
And that still leaves the final factor that will determine his future: Mr Rumsfeld himself.
Mr Rumsfeld's neo-conservative second-in-command, Paul Wolfowitz, has even less credibility than his boss does.
Yet if Mr Rumsfeld is out of the woodshed, he is not out of the woods.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld ordered air defense systems around Washington armed with anti-aircraft missiles Tuesday.
And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense.
But the court said it remained to be seen whether Mr Rumsfeld had actually done so.
Responding to a question, Rumsfeld repeated anew the administration's frustration with Iraq's neighbor, Syria.
Any such "proxies" would be viewed as a "potential threat" to coalition forces, Rumsfeld said.
" Bush added that suggestions she wanted Rumsfeld to be fired are "absolutely not true.
Rumsfeld and Franks spoke at a news conference Tuesday at Central Command headquarters near Tampa, Florida.
Before he leaves his post, Rumsfeld will pass Robert McNamara as the longest-serving U.S. defense chief.
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld confirmed that bin Laden has not been heard from since.
Mr Powell sits on the war council along with Mr Rumsfeld and Ms Rice.
Mr Rumsfeld immediately captivated the country by running into the burning Pentagon to rescue the wounded.
ECONOMIST: George Bush is a fool for keeping Donald Rumsfeld in his job
The letter was also signed by Mr Rumsfeld, Mr Wolfowitz, Mr Bolton and others.
"If I felt I could not be effective, I'd resign in a minute, " Rumsfeld said.
Rumsfeld said he was deferring to "the expert" but at McCain's prompting, he then answered.
Some of the media in the region were critical of Rumsfeld's comments and approach.
Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, were leading advocates of the U.S. attack on Iraq.
Mr. RUMSFELD: Oh, this is a question the kids asked every time there's a press conference.
Now here in Washington, Donald Rumsfeld's time as secretary of defense comes to an end today.
But in December 2006, he agreed to replace Donald Rumsfeld as secretary of defense.
Even now, what Mr Rumsfeld supports is still less clear than what he opposes.
Mr. LOREN THOMPSON (Lexington Institute): Donald Rumsfeld is the bureaucratic equivalent of a cat.
Rumsfeld has been strongly criticized for not alerting the president and Congress sooner about the pictures.
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