Donald Rumsfeld has revived a tactic that succeeded in his heyday as secretary of defense, when an administration in the fullness of power could manipulate public opinion by suggesting its critics were unpatriotic.

In the present climate, such maneuvers no longer work. Moreover, against the background of information that has emerged since Rumsfeld was sent into retirement two years ago, his protestations and aspersions ring false.

In response to a report by a bipartisan panel of senators that lays responsibility for abuse of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and elsewhere directly on him and other top Bush administration officials, Rumsfeld attempted to besmirch Michigan Democrat Carl Levin, chairman of the panel.

The report accused Rumsfeld and his deputies of being the authors and chief promoters of harsh interrogation methods that led to more serious abuses and disgraced the nation. In addition, the report said the administration's characterization of abuses as merely the actions of “;a few bad apples”; did not hold up.

Rumsfeld, as could be expected, rejected the panel's conclusions and said it was Levin who sullied the nation's image, adding that taxpayer dollars should not have been used “;to make unfounded allegations against those who have served our nation.”;

The report doesn't blame soldiers, but the members of the administration—including Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney and his aide, David Addington—for establishing policies contrary to the Geneva Convention and military doctrine.

“;The fact is that senior officials in the United States government solicited information on how to use aggressive techniques, redefined the law to create the appearance of their legality and authorized their use against detainees,”; the report says.

The panel's senior Republican, John McCain, who released the report with Levin, called the policies “;wrong,”; and said they “;must never be repeated.”; Rumsfeld took no shots at the Arizona Republican; it would be unseemly to criticize the senator who suffered torture while a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

Rumsfeld said the report was “;unencumbered by the preponderance of facts,”; which contradicts the finding that the former Pentagon chief's authorization of harsh methods eroded “;standards that dictate detainees be treated humanly.”;

Rumsfeld contends the report's information is subject to interpretation, which may be true. However, neither he, Cheney nor others who could shed light on the matter have been forthcoming.

If the United States is to remove the taint of torture and regain standing in the global community, an independent investigation may be necessary. Rumsfeld and company would surely be welcome to clear the record.