I Cogitate

The January 17, 2005, issue of The New Yorker contains a marvelous Dan Baum article titled "Battle Lessons," with a subtitle of "What the generals don't know." Baum details how actual critical learning is currently taking place in the armed forces, especially in Iraq. He writes of the general leadership and personal differences between baby boomers (the highest ranking officers) and the captains and lietenants making up Generation X. There is a great deal more subject matter, presented very even-handedly. It is a fascinating article that should be read by all.

What especially caught my attention was his mention of the early November, 2004, convention of the Association of the United States Army, whose members consist of Army personnel and the various corporations and businesses that sell to the Army. For  those in attendance, a book was being talked about: "Dereliction of Duty" by Army Major H. R. McMaster.

In the book, written with the aid of now available Vietnam-era doucments, McMaster takes Robert McNamara to task for failing to heed warnings from the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the Vietnam War would be very difficult to win. McMaster also castigates the four Chiefs for failing to publicly voice their concerns.

The article quotes former Secretary of the Army Thomas White commenting on McMaster's subject matter: "Each (Chief) one of those four went to their graves thinking they didn't do enough to protest. They should have put their stars on the table and said 'We won't be part of this.'"

It makes me think of Colin Powell.

Baum doesn't draw a parallel between Vietnam and Iraq but he concludes the article with an acknowledgement that the soldiers feel and believe they are doing the right thing and then ends with this: "...But they will also tell you that the war is excruciating. Despite their (the soldiers) Buck Rogers technology, they are losing friends to weapons made from Radio Shack gizmos, and the people they've been sent to help seems to hate them more every day. They can't imagine when or how they will earn a victory parade."

At least for a moment, drop any partisanship and read this article. It presents reality, however much we may agree or disagree with it.

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