Also, in a classic example of shooting the messenger, you berate the columnist and not the author: Marine Capt. Robert S. Burrell.
One more point, MacArthur was also a critic of how Iwo Jima and Okinawa were attacked.
I didn't read the article because I won't go to the LAT, but that is also why I withheld comment on the article.
I don't think that there is anything wrong with hindsight. Critically examing each battle and each war can provide invaluable info that can save lives. Sometimes decisions are made in the heat of the battle that must be made and we regret them, but that doesn't mean that we have the luxury of taking them back once we get more info.
Iwo Jima was fought doing the best we could with what we knew at the time and no one can ask for more than that.
My speculation here is that knowing the LAT as we do, most are assuming -- as I did -- that it was merely a hit piece on our military by someone who isn't worthy of shining our guys boots.
Your speculation is far off the mark. Max Boot is a strong conservative and a strong supporter of Bush and of the WOT. He was (still is?) Editorial Features editor of the Wall Street Journal's editorial page, the country's premier conservative editorial page.