You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Iraq
The Grunts "Got it", Great interview with Bing West
2008-09-10

Watch CBS Videos Online
Posted by:GolfBravoUSMC

#4  That whole LBJ thing is bull, Rummy ran this t4his thing into the ground with his "snowflake" policies.

Go read On Strategy: The Vietnam War in Context by Col. Harry Summers. It was one of the text book used after the war in rebuilding the services. A lot of self reflections on errors committed. Somewhere in there you'll find the total number of times LBJ meet with his senior military chiefs on the issue of Vietnam was about twice.
Posted by: Procopius2k    2008-09-10 18:16  

#3  The generals were almost begging him to change the tactics, but rummy had us hobbled.

That's why as soon as Rummy was gone the generals united behind the strategy and tactics that Rummy had squelched and forced Bush to change the game plan. No wonder the donks are talking about running Casey in '12.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2008-09-10 16:01  

#2  The one that did not get it was Rummy. When a counterinsurgency model was briefed to him he called it nation building snd tried to kill the program. Rummy was just too thick to understand how to win this kind of war, Bush trusted him and allowed us to get this wrong. The generals were almost begging him to change the tactics, but rummy had us hobbled. The guy here forgets that DOD is led by civilians and generals execute civilian strategies, even if they disagree. That whole LBJ thing is bull, Rummy ran this t4his thing into the ground with his "snowflake" policies.
Posted by: 49 Pan   2008-09-10 15:43  

#1  So Mr. Woodward it wasn't just Bush that prolonged the war. Perhaps it was the military leadership (Casey) that was unable to adapt to the situation on the ground. Bush said he would let the military run the war unlike LBJ, and what did he get? Bush can be blamed for a lot of things, but he stayed firm and demanded victory and yes I am one of the 30% that like this president.
Posted by: bman   2008-09-10 11:25  

00:00