Quote Originally Posted by SteveMetz View Post
Jeff, as you probably know, was a Sam Nunn staffer. I'm a fan of his (and so noted in the acknowledgements of my book) but think it does get a bit too worked up when "neocon" bashing.
I have read his stuff since grad school. I would say that he tends to get too caught up in the absoluteness of whatever case he is making. In the late 70s and early 80s he was arguing that the USMC was the only quick reaction force on the US military roster. He completely ignored XVIII Abn Corps with the 82d, the 101st, and 24th Mech.

He has written some good stuff with a good friend of mine, Andy Terrill. I would say he likes to take that slightly contrary or openly contrary positions and then defend them. That is a technique and it is useful if you don't get caught up in your own arguments. In this case, he fell into that trap and that is a shame because I believe he offers some clear points that he hides in rhetoric.

Tom