It’s been almost one year since the first of six retired US generals began calling for the departure of former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Andrew Cockburn is the author of the controversial new biography, “Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy.” Cockburn talks about Rumsfeld's role in the Iraq war, his links to the torture of prisoners at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, his time as a pharmaceutical executive, and his tenuous relationship with George H.W. Bush. [includes rush transcript]

It’s been almost one year since the first of six retired US generals began speaking out against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, calling for his departure. Their criticism helped to ignite - or may well have been ignited by -- public scrutiny of Rumsfeld, who was confronted by during speeches around the country.

Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst questioning Donald Rumsfeld, May 4 2006.

World Can’t Wait’s Heather Hurwitz, to Donald Rumsfeld, February 2 2006: "You have committed crimes against humanity and BushCommission.org and thousands are coming this weekend to drive you out of office, You and you whole administration. Step down Mr. Rumsfeld, Bush administration step down and take these programs with you. You are torturing people signing off on torture. It's happening. This world needs to wake up, stop this war, this criminal war."

The public scrutiny of Rumsfeld culminated in his resignation last year after the Republicans lost control of Congress. Well, a new book by investigative journalist Andrew Cockburn goes behind the scenes to reveal never-before told stories about Donald Rumsfeld. Relying on sources that include high-ranking officials in the Pentagon and the White House, it chronicles Rumsfeld’s early career as an Illinois congressman to his rise in the Nixon White House. From his tenure as CEO of pharmaceutical company G. D. Searle to his decisions as Defense Secretary in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The book is titled “Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy.” The author, Andrew Cockburn joins me now from Washington DC.

• Andrew Cockburn. Writer and lecturer on defense and national affairs and author of several books. His latest is titled “Rumsfeld: His Rise, Fall, and Catastrophic Legacy.”