Army official resigns over Crusader probe

A top official in the Army's Congressional liaison office resigned Friday after an investigation by the Army's inspector general showed he produced inflammatory and misleading "talking points" on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's decision to cancel the Crusader howitzer program earlier this week.

According to statement released by the Army, Kenneth Steadman, the principal deputy to the chief of the Office of Legislative Liaison, acknowledged responsibility for the ill-conceived lobbying effort before proffering his resignation. Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ryan Yantis said Steadman was a political appointee. He did not know how long Steadman had been in his position.

The Defense Department's decision to cancel Crusader, a heavy artillery system, surprised many in the Army, who believed it had strong support within the Bush administration and Congress. The talking points suggested that canceling the program would dramatically reduce Army readiness and result in lost lives on the battlefield, a contention that offended critics of the program.

The lobbying effort reportedly outraged Rumsfeld and prompted the investigation into the Army's actions. Army Secretary Thomas White had been a strong supporter of the Crusader program, although he denied responsibility for the lobbying effort.

In a statement released by the Army, White said, "I am personally and professionally disturbed by the preparation and distribution of these so-called talking points that I find--frankly--offensive and insulting to the Department of the Army and the Department of Defense. I have made clear within the Army that this action was repugnant and contrary to the interests of our troops and country."