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McNamara's Wall
Washington Inquirer ^ | May 8, 1995 | Michael Benge

Posted on 07/07/2009 1:17:55 PM PDT by Interesting Times

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Here's an excellent review of McNamara's dishonest and self-serving 1995 memoir by former POW Mike Benge. It will do for his epitaph.
1 posted on 07/07/2009 1:17:56 PM PDT by Interesting Times
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To: Howlin; eddie willers; cajungirl; wirestripper; Southflanknorthpawsis; Peach; prairiebreeze; ...

Vietnam War ping.


2 posted on 07/07/2009 1:18:43 PM PDT by Interesting Times (For the truth about "swift boating" see ToSetTheRecordStraight.com)
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To: Interesting Times

Frankly, nothing this arrogant, egotistical incompetent can say or do can ever erase my contempt for him. Too bad he lived so much longer than the thousands who were condemned under his stewardship of the War.

Good riddance.


3 posted on 07/07/2009 1:20:57 PM PDT by TCats
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To: Interesting Times

Wow! Everyone can’t stand this guy. I never heard a negative word about him until he died. Of course I wasn’t alive when he was SECDEF or I was an infant. Fox News is giving some props to the guy though saying that he stopped a nuclear war and was a Republican. The problem is that Fox News has gone so liberal lately that you just don’t know what to believe. I do trust Free Republic as my truthful resource so the guy must have been pretty bad.


4 posted on 07/07/2009 1:28:20 PM PDT by napscoordinator
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To: TCats
McNamara's Wall should become a memorial urinal!

"I like that, kinda has a nice ring to it!"

...psssssssssssssss

5 posted on 07/07/2009 1:28:55 PM PDT by norraad ("What light!">Blues Brothers)
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To: Interesting Times

McNamara for his all-knowing arrogance, and LBJ for his micro-management costed over 58,000 dead including my best friend!

May they roast in Hell forever!


6 posted on 07/07/2009 1:30:43 PM PDT by Sen Jack S. Fogbound (`)
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To: Interesting Times
One of my favorite wrong-headed quotes from McNamara is the following:

“Nuclear weapons serve no military purpose whatsoever. They are totally useless - except to deter one's opponent from using them.”

Our nuclear superiority, coupled with the Soviets’ belief that we could build an effective missile shield, ended the Cold War and hastened the demise of the Soviet Union. This is worth keeping in mind, while we witness Obama capitulating to the Russians on nuclear stockpiles and missile defense.

7 posted on 07/07/2009 1:31:13 PM PDT by riverdawg
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To: TCats

Ditto!!x3

What a waste, then and now.

Goodby.


8 posted on 07/07/2009 1:33:40 PM PDT by ASOC (Who is that fat lady? And why is she singing???)
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To: Interesting Times

If it wouldn’t dishonor the men on the wall so much, I think it would be fitting for this SOB to have to wake up on judgment day, looking right into that wall, with the name of every casualty he was responsible for.

There are casualties in all wars. If plans are sound and execution is good, then the SecDef is not responsible for the deaths that will occur. He will have saved lives by implementing a sound plan.

If the policies are not sound, the plans are not sound, and more people die as a result, the SecDef deserves to be skewered for it.

McNamera, I personally believe you are more responsible than any other human being for the millions of people who died in the region.

Jane Fonda and the leftist ilk of the 60s & 70s come in second.

The liberals in our Congress, come in a very strong third.


9 posted on 07/07/2009 1:34:16 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (_Resident of the United States and Kenya's favorite son, Baraaaack Hussein Obamaaaa...)
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To: napscoordinator
He was very bad. And he fit right into the mindset of his boss, Johnson. Between them they cost thousands of lives and negated the sacrifices of all.

This A$$hole was a bean counting, amoral robot who came from a laboratory that turned these people out with regularity - Harvard with assistance form the Ford Motor Co. of the 60’s.

10 posted on 07/07/2009 1:35:18 PM PDT by TCats
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To: Interesting Times

BTTT


11 posted on 07/07/2009 1:35:36 PM PDT by E.G.C.
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To: TCats
My dad was an old China hand, having worked as a commercial pilot for CNAC and then as a civilian Hump pilot for the AAF in the CBI. He retired from government service in 1961 and until his death in 1966, counted almost daily our mistakes in this part of the world.
There was no shortage of sound, knowledgeable advice in SE Asia and, unlike the French and Brits, we were not in country to take away treasure. We sure left plenty, though.
12 posted on 07/07/2009 1:36:02 PM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: TCats
My dad was an old China hand, having worked as a commercial pilot for CNAC and then as a civilian Hump pilot for the AAF in the CBI. He retired from government service in 1961 and until his death in 1966, counted almost daily our mistakes in this part of the world.
There was no shortage of sound, knowledgeable advice in SE Asia and, unlike the French and Brits, we were not in country to take away treasure. We sure left plenty, though.
13 posted on 07/07/2009 1:36:18 PM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: Interesting Times

Great article. Thanks for posting.


14 posted on 07/07/2009 1:37:34 PM PDT by MBB1984
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To: TCats

Coming from a FREEPER, I believe every word.


15 posted on 07/07/2009 1:38:23 PM PDT by napscoordinator
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To: Sen Jack S. Fogbound
May they roast in Hell forever!

That's not your call.

16 posted on 07/07/2009 1:38:29 PM PDT by Interesting Times (For the truth about "swift boating" see ToSetTheRecordStraight.com)
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To: Interesting Times

I never had much respect for him - even when I was over there. As time went on I learned not to have much respect for any bean counters I met.


17 posted on 07/07/2009 1:39:13 PM PDT by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink)
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To: napscoordinator

Fox had leaned left for at least a few years now. I do not trust them any more than the rest of the propaganda media machines.


18 posted on 07/07/2009 1:39:44 PM PDT by MBB1984
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To: Interesting Times

A devastating and unfortunately very accurate account. Though the author touched on it, it is frightening how McNamara and the rest of LBJ’s inner circle were every day ignoring the advice of those on the ground and ordering worthless hits on civilian targets of no strategic importance, while ceasing operations showing signs of success - all on whims, all in a detached “let’s play Risk!” mindset. The war in Vietnam, like in Iraq, should have been over very quickly. Too bad we are universally led by people educated far beyond their intelligence and promoted far above their competence.

It is a miracle WWII was not a bigger bloodbath for the allies, given the inept political intervention by American politicians in the work of the generals then too. I guess the Germans had their own incompetent leaders to foist policies of failure upon their warriors.


19 posted on 07/07/2009 1:40:52 PM PDT by M203M4 (A rainbow-excreting government-cheese-pie-eating unicorn in every pot.)
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To: MBB1984
Great article. Thanks for posting.

You're welcome. Mike sent it around to some of his friends shortly after McNamara died, and I thought it deserved a wider audience.

20 posted on 07/07/2009 1:41:23 PM PDT by Interesting Times (For the truth about "swift boating" see ToSetTheRecordStraight.com)
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