http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE56531C20090706

While his political legacy remains a debated, McNamara remains a pivotal figure in the 20th century. Unfortunately he was never seen dancing on MTV.

I sense a point being made here but it's too subtle. Can you make a music video of your meaning and then post that for me? Or have E! or TMZ write something up?

Wow. 93. Must not have had too guilty a conscious. I wonder how old Rumsfeld will live to be.

Vietnam, while lately overshadowed by Iraq, is going to go down in history as one of our biggest military blunders.

Wow. 93. Must not have had too guilty a conscious. I wonder how old Rumsfeld will live to be.

Vietnam, while lately overshadowed by Iraq, is going to go down in history as one of our biggest military blunders.


And that is what is sad. People still do not understand that it was not a military blunder at all, but a massive political one; the politicians kept the military command handcuffed, or the war would have been over much sooner and with a wholly different outcome. Which does not mean that it would not have become another North/South like the Korean conflict gave us.

And that is what is sad. People still do not understand that it was not a military blunder at all, but a massive political one; the politicians kept the military command handcuffed, or the war would have been over much sooner and with a wholly different outcome. Which does not mean that it would not have become another North/South like the Korean conflict gave us.


Byl is correct. But not only did the politicians tie the hands of the military, specifically Johnson and McNamara, they micro managed the war right down to platoon level in many instances. The battle for Khe Sahn is a perfect example.

His movie.. The Fog of War is pretty fucking awesome.

If you have never seen it, I HIGHLY recommend it.

"Be prepared to reexamine your reasoning" was one lesson headlined in the Morris film that has direct application to today.

"What makes us omniscient? Have we a record of omniscience? We are the strongest nation in the world today. I do not believe that we should ever apply that economic, political and military power unilaterally. If we had followed that rule in Vietnam, we wouldn't have been there. None of our allies supported us. Not Japan, not Germany, not Britain or France. If we can't persuade nations with comparable values of the merit of our cause, we'd better reexamine our reasoning."

I read that quote on the BBC tonight and it pretty much sums up what a thoughtful man he was (and prescient, with regard to Iraq and our laughable 'coalition of the willing'). I haven't seen Fog of War but I'd very much like to; perhaps a few of the art houses will show it in honor of his death.

Regards,
Nydia