Victor Davis Hanson: War and Decision by Douglas Feith

Commentary ^ | June 2008 | Victor Davis Hanson

[SuziQ]

In light of this book’s virtues, it is somewhat regrettable that Feith does not address in detail the failure of the administration to apprise the American people adequately as to the difficulty of the task ahead or to counter the often untrue but sensational accusations of critics. That multi-agency failure constantly to set the record straight did terrible damage to the once-strong public support for the war. Administration officials might have explained over and over again what exactly were our choices after 9/11, what our aims were in Iraq, how the unexpected dilemmas of this war were materially no different from those of past wars, and how, even so, our blunders in Iraq nowhere approximated the scale of earlier disasters in Korea, in World War II, in World War I, or in the Civil War.

I guess the President overestimated the attention span of the American people. He explained from the beginning that it would be a long struggle, and that much of the success would be unseen, and unknown, because it would be taking place out of the eye and earshot of the media. As it turns out, even when success WAS taking place in full view of the media, they didn't mention it, because they didn't want George W. Bush to get credit for ANYTHING positive.

When did the American people get to the point where they have to have their hands held, and constantly have things explained to them, like they are three year olds?

[Tolik]

more housekeeping - pinging to stuff I missed

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[Sans-Culotte]

Interesting article. Looks like a book I need to read.