This is for those who buy the story that Webb resigned his position as Navy Secretary to protest budget cuts or because he thought Reagan was "too soft."
In officialdom, there is typically a stated reason for events, but it is often not the real reason. A politican will often say that he is leaving office or opting out of a race to "spend more time with his family." One has to be very naive to believe that this stated reason is the real reason.
For years, the official story has been that Webb left his position as Secretary of the Navy after only 10 months to protest the budget cuts. Is this the real reason or a cover story? I refer you to Webb's close friend, Mackubin Thomas Owens. Earlier this year, he penned a piece about Webb. He didn't describe his abrupt departure as Navy Secretary as a protest over budget cuts. He indicated Webb left because of clashes between himself and Frank Carlucci, Secretary of Defense. The way Webb handled himself at the time--leaving a letter of resignation on someone's desk rather than informing Carlucci in person--was considered classless and suggested a lot of hostility toward Secretary Carlucci.
http://www.nationalreview.com/owens/owens200602130816.asp
Thanks for the article, its the most positive thing I've read about Webb in a long time.