The only thing tragic about the death of Donald Rumsfeld is that it didn’t occur in an Iraqi prison. Yet that was foreordained, considering how throughout his life inside the precincts of American national security, Rumsfeld escaped the consequences of decisions he made that ensured a violent, frightening end for hundreds of thousands of people.

It is one of the irritating defects of genius that, particularly when surrounded by crushing mediocrity, the audacity of having ideas becomes a source of recurring controversy. To have the most ideas means you have the most good ideas, but also the most bad ideas. I have had the great fortune to know and meet more than a handful of figures in my life who truly qualify as men of genius, and one of them was certainly Donald Rumsfeld, who passed away yesterday at the ripe age of 88. 

The death of Donald Rumsfeld – Republican powerbroker, controversial Defense Secretary and architect of the Iraq war – days before his 89th birthday from multiple myeloma has drawn reaction from lawmakers, presidents and more.

Here is a look at how he is being remembered:

In a statement Wednesday, former President George W. Bush lauded Rumsfeld, who served as Bush's defense secretary, as a "faithful steward of our armed forces."

Donald Rumsfeld, the longtime military thinker and Washington powerbroker who served twice as secretary of defense, has died. He was 88 years old.

Rumsfeld's family confirmed his death in a Twitter post.

"It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Donald Rumsfeld, an American statesman and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. At 88, he was surrounded by family in his beloved Taos, New Mexico," the statement read.