Ex-Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara Dies at 93
Peter Fokes
<quote on>
Robert S. McNamara, perhaps the most influential defense secretary of
the 20th century, who helped lead the nation into the maelstrom of
Vietnam and spent the rest of his life wrestling with the war�s moral
consequences, died early Monday at his home in Washington, the
Associated Press reported, citing his wife, Diana. He was 93, and
according to the news agency, had been in failing health for some
time.
Serving Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to
1968, Mr. McNamara oversaw hundreds of military missions, thousands of
nuclear weapons and billions of dollars in military spending and
foreign arms sales. He also enlarged the defense secretary�s role,
handling foreign diplomacy and the dispatch of troops to enforce civil
rights in the South.
�He�s like a jackhammer,� President Johnson said. �No human being can
take what he takes. He drives too hard. He is too perfect.�
<quote off>
By the way, if you haven't seen The Fog of War yet, you should:
http://www.sonyclassics.com/fogofwar/
Regards,
Peter Fokes,
Toronto
Osprey
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/us/07mcnamara.html?_r=1&ref=global-...
On July 6, Peter Fokes wrote:
> Robert S. McNamara, perhaps the most influential defense secretary of
> the 20th century, who helped lead the nation into the maelstrom of
> Vietnam and spent the rest of his life wrestling with the war’s moral
> consequences, died early Monday at his home in Washington, the
> Associated Press reported, citing his wife, Diana. He was 93, and
> according to the news agency, had been in failing health for some
> time.
>
> Serving Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to
> 1968, Mr. McNamara oversaw hundreds of military missions, thousands of
> nuclear weapons and billions of dollars in military spending and
> foreign arms sales. He also enlarged the defense secretary’s role,
> handling foreign diplomacy and the dispatch of troops to enforce civil
> rights in the South.
>
> “He’s like a jackhammer,” President Johnson said. “No human being can
> take what he takes. He drives too hard. He is too perfect.”
>
> <quote off>
Thank you, Peter.
Kennedy, Johnson and McNamara. Three of the greatest Americans of the 20th
century. McNamara was one of Camelot's "best and brightest" -- the JFK
dream team that tried to modernize American politics in the New Frontier.
I recall McNamara, obviously very intelligent, being on the annual
Secretarys of Defence conference, soft-spoken and very much a gentleman.
Both of his parents were of British ancestry, with his mother a Strange,
which became Robert's middle name. He was an executive at Ford Motor Co. (
rising to President ) before being urged into politics by JFK. McNamara
opposed the introduction of the Edsel model and mentored the Falcon.
When the Lincoln badge seemed headed for oblivion after a late-50s slump
and some rather excessively long wheelbases ( see such models in the film
"North by Northwest" ), McNamara introducted the newly-styled line called
the "Lincoln Continental" ( after a 1940s model ). JFK was in one of the
first-year Contis (modified at Ford and leased to the White House for a
token amt.) when he was struck down in Dallas.
During the mid-1960s, McNamara briefly became an eponym in a Simon &
Garfunkel song ("I've been McNamara'd").
bigdog
> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/us/07mcnamara.html?_r=1&ref=global-...
"....but it seems the good die young".
Amen to that.
Gerry Simone
I met Errol Morris at the Toronto International Film Festival at the
premier screening of The Fog of War.
After the screening and Q & A, I went down to the floor and asked him if
McNamara every mentioned anything about a conspiracy to murder the
President and after humming and hawing with a contemplative pause, Mr.
Morris said 'He didn't believe in a conspiracy'.
I think McNamara was quite an extraordinary man in any event.
"Peter Fokes" <pfo...@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:o60455p9kdkt07gd5...@4ax.com...
Peter Fokes
<newdec...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>I met Errol Morris at the Toronto International Film Festival at the
>premier screening of The Fog of War.
I recall your posts on this event.
>
>After the screening and Q & A, I went down to the floor and asked him if
>McNamara every mentioned anything about a conspiracy to murder the
>President and after humming and hawing with a contemplative pause, Mr.
>Morris said 'He didn't believe in a conspiracy'.
>
>I think McNamara was quite an extraordinary man in any event.
The Fog of War is certainly must viewing for anyone interested in 20th
century American history.
Regards,
Peter Fokes,
Toronto
Gerry Simone
It is an excellent documentary, and gives insight into the Kennedy and LBJ
administrations.
They are invaluable lessons.
"Peter Fokes" <pfo...@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:pg3955pn8shgk2ocp...@4ax.com...
Coondog
> On July 6, Peter Fokes wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/us/07mcnamara.html?_r=1&ref=global-...
>
> > <quote on>
>
> > Robert S. McNamara, perhaps the most influential defense secretary of
> > the 20th century, who helped lead the nation into the maelstrom of
> > consequences, died early Monday at his home in Washington, the
> > Associated Press reported, citing his wife, Diana. He was 93, and
> > according to the news agency, had been in failing health for some
> > time.
>
> > Serving Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to
> > 1968, Mr. McNamara oversaw hundreds of military missions, thousands of
> > nuclear weapons and billions of dollars in military spending and
> > foreign arms sales. He also enlarged the defense secretary’s role,
> > handling foreign diplomacy and the dispatch of troops to enforce civil
> > rights in the South.
>
> > “He’s like a jackhammer,” President Johnson said. “No human being can
> > take what he takes. He drives too hard. He is too perfect.”
>
> > <quote off>
>
> > By the way, if you haven't seen The Fog of War yet, you should:
>
> >http://www.sonyclassics.com/fogofwar/
>
> > Regards,
> > Peter Fokes,
> > Toronto
>
> On July 6, Peter Fokes wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Robert S. McNamara, perhaps the most influential defense secretary of
> > the 20th century, who helped lead the nation into the maelstrom of
>
> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
If McNamara is one of the greats we are indeed in very sad shape. You
certainly can’t blame our failure in Vietnam on just one man but if you
could McNamara would certainly be that man. If you add Westmoreland to
the list I think that would account for the large majority of the reason
we failed there.
Yes, he was brilliant. Halberstam calls him a “brilliant fool” and
that shoe fits. He also says that the brilliance of the Whiz Kids was
surpassed only by their arrogance. This arrogance prevented them from
listening to other’s opinion and worst prevented them from ever
questioning their own judgments. So we waste 4 or 5 years running damn
fool search and destroy mission and counting bodies for McNamara.
He surpasses even Rumsfeld in being a poor Sec. of Defense and I hope he
burns in a very hot hell. He has a lot of blood on his hands.
Bill Clarke