Whose Fiasco? by Victor Davis Hanson (review of Thomas Rick's book on Iraq)

VDH website ^ | December 23, 2006 | Victor Davis Hanson

[metesky]

Thanks for the ping, T.

VDH raps up nicely in the final paragragh:

But when a journalist asserts, often without documentation, that everything went wrong, then the reader is unable to discern even what may well be true.

[humint]

But because the reason-to-be of the entire narrative is to prove the validity of the book’s title, Ricks’s identification of these undeniable lapses loses its force — buried as they are amid a near 500-page blunderbuss blast against the Iraqi war. It is true, of course, that part of the historian’s task is to explain and analyze what went wrong in a war, through citation of sources, primary and secondary. But when a journalist asserts, often without documentation, that everything went wrong, then the reader is unable to discern even what may well be true.

The power of this conclusion is bigger than the subject itself. Like most VDH literary efforts, this book review transcends time. Juxtaposing the book's premises with smart rebuttals is pure methodological genius. It begs the question, "Why aren't more Americans doing it just like this?". Are gifted historians and a handful of analysts the only ones with a unique power to detect inconsistency and narcissism in the "information age"? Let's hope not.

BTW, Merry Christmas FR!

[TomasUSMC]

Washington Times editorial writer Diana West asks a great question ...
What I want to know is what happens if this much-discussed American troop surge actually manages to secure Iraq, which then emerges as a natural ally of Iran and perhaps Syria? Will we salute U.S. efforts that brought into the (Islamic) world another Shi'ite-dominated, pro-Hezbollah, anti-American, anti-Israel Shariah state with lots of oil? To me, such "success" sounds more like the "failure" that is usually described, roughly, as the loss of American face or the transformation of Iraq into a terrorist haven. In the aftermath of any "victory" in Iraq that benefits Iran more than the United States, our face wouldn't look so hot with all that egg on it, and the world would surely have a new terrorist haven.

[angcat]

My husband gave this to me for Christmas! I returned it. My husband is a fine man and made a mistake. He did not read the title correctly and took it as a book I would like.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Awww Victor, Victor,.. how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. (Let's see, how many articles have you written to expose the mindset of these liberal biased idiots?) :o)

Vets wife (I love an intelligent man, that's why I married one!)