So I Started Reading the Feith Book...

[SteveMetz]

In the book I'm currently reading (referenced above), Herspring pins most of the blame on Feith for preventing the hiring of more experts and Arabists due to their alleged lack of dedication to the president's mission. They did not share the freedom agenda of the administration, and Feith did not want them involved. He is also said to personally insist on preventing OSD staff from joining inter-agency planning groups, for the same reason.

I've ordered the Herspring book but not yet received it. I'll be interested as to what his sources are. That's not the way I portray it in my book. I'll withhold judgement but looking at the advertisement for the Herspring book, it looked like just one more anti-Bush screed. I strove mightily to be balanced and objective in mine. I felt the administration made major errors, but I didn't want to pin them with ones that I couldn't verify by sources other than administration opponents.

[ipopescu]

I'll withhold judgement but looking at the advertisement for the Herspring book, it looked like just one more anti-Bush screed. I strove mightily to be balanced and objective in mine.

It's more like an anti-Rumsfeld screed. Sources are mostly MSM and personal interviews. I do not detect a conscious effort on his part to be very objective, but he's not extremely biased either given that his thesis - Rumsfeld was a very bad SECDEF - is not that controversial. What's interesting as it relates to this thread is that Feith is the only character in the book that comes out worse than Rumsfeld

[SteveMetz]

It's more like an anti-Rumsfeld screed. Sources are mostly MSM and personal interviews. I do not detect a conscious effort on his part to be very objective, but he's not extremely biased either given that his thesis - Rumsfeld was a very bad SECDEF - is not that controversial. What's interesting as it relates to this thread is that Feith is the only character in the book that comes out worse than Rumsfeld

Do you know what Peter Feaver's take on the book is (given his inside perspective)?

[ipopescu]

I don't think he read it yet. I'm reading an advance copy because I will write a review for it.

[selil]

I strove mightily to be balanced and objective in mine. I felt the administration made major errors, but I didn't want to pin them with ones that I couldn't verify by sources other than administration opponents.

I have to agree. Hang the POTUS on the mistakes they made and don't make stuff up. There will be enough blame to go around in the end. I think the argument in coming years will be framed somewhat in the form of a weak kneed democrat led congress unable to reign in a unitarian executive power juxtaposed with improper planning by the executive branch. The end result will be to punish the military with a massive RIF, somewhat isolationism, distrust of the democrats as weak even in the seat of power, and neo-con petulance at the crashing economic woes that Iraq and the GWOT have created.

What I don't see happening is a massive anti-war/peace movement or a protest populist movement in regards to civil rights.

[marct]

I think the argument in coming years will be framed somewhat in the form of a weak kneed democrat led congress unable to reign in a unitarian executive power juxtaposed with improper planning by the executive branch. The end result will be to punish the military with a massive RIF, somewhat isolationism, distrust of the democrats as weak even in the seat of power, and neo-con petulance at the crashing economic woes that Iraq and the GWOT have created.

Quite possibly.

What I don't see happening is a massive anti-war/peace movement or a protest populist movement in regards to civil rights.

Add to that a deafening lack of politicians taking responsibility for their actions, ideologues pointing fingers and an upsurge in the popularity of this work.

Actually, I'm more concerned about the fact that the rest of the world is starting to view any US administration as a bunch of clowns who will inevitably blame someone, anyone, else for their own failures. Not exactly the sort of "allies" one wants, old chap!

[Ken White]

...Actually, I'm more concerned about the fact that the rest of the world is starting to view any US administration as a bunch of clowns who will inevitably blame someone, anyone, else for their own failures. Not exactly the sort of "allies" one wants, old chap!

We should be used to it...

I'd also suggest that it is not an affliction solely of US Administrations; I've seen a few others use the same 'logic' fairly frequently...

[Steve Blair]

I trace some of it back to learned behavior from watching Congress flounder and cast blame for the last 30 years or so. Sure the executive branch has had more than its share of idiots, but what can you say about a group that sits and whines when it has the controlling majority in both the House and Senate? Too many lawyers and professional politicians in the place for my liking, I'm sad to say....

[marct]

Hi Ken,

We should be used to it...

I'd also suggest that it is not an affliction solely of US Administrations; I've seen a few others use the same 'logic' fairly frequently...

True - but who cares about what our PM's do anyway . On that note, I just got a breaking news alert that the RCMP was raiding Conservative Party headquarters in Ottawa...

I trace some of it back to learned behavior from watching Congress flounder and cast blame for the last 30 years or so. Sure the executive branch has had more than its share of idiots, but what can you say about a group that sits and whines when it has the controlling majority in both the House and Senate? Too many lawyers and professional politicians in the place for my liking, I'm sad to say....

LOLOL - personally, I would have said too few professional politicians and too many ideologue amateurs , but your point is taken.

[Ken White]

...True - but who cares about what our PM's do anyway . On that note, I just got a breaking news alert that the RCMP was raiding Conservative Party headquarters in Ottawa...

about it -- I really had several other governments in mind...

On the Tory Hq raid, I am shocked, shocked I say, that such a thing would be suspected of them. Brian has assured me there is no there there...

[marct]

Hey Ken,

On the Tory Hq raid, I am shocked, shocked I say, that such a thing would be suspected of them. Brian has assured me there is no there there...

Doesn't really surprise me at all . If we ever get together for a couple of pints, we can trade Brian stories .