[Mouton]

RIP Al, it was an honor to have had you at the top echelons of our government. FWIW, his comment about being “in control here” was a directed response to the Soviets. He was notified by Weinberger that he had bumped up our DEFCON status in response to the assassination attempt of Reagan. Haig was acutely aware the USSR monitored our defense postures AND there was pandemonium in DC after the shooting so he was concerned they may consider the government out of any controlling authority (pre Al Gore). That was why he said he used that particular language, which had morphed in the press to being in charge. IMO he would have been a great president.

[Yorlik803]

Like all great Military men, he should have stayed out of the beltway swamp and stayed in, retired and became a writer or advisor.
RIP Gen Haig. You were a great man and hero of the country.. Tell President Reagan we miss him.

[DemforBush]

“FWIW, his comment about being “in control here” was a directed response to the Soviets...”

I had a military history prof back in college (a 20 year USAF veteran, btw) who taught us that exact thing. Reagan had been shot and H.W. Bush was out the country. Haig was telling the Soviets in no uncertain terms that we were not leaderless.

There was a pretty good discussion about Haig (and the Soviet angle to the statement) here on FR some time back. Here’s the thread:

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2312323/posts