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Will passing of Robert McNamara lead to soul searching by Donald Rumsfeld?
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Robert McNamara 1916-2009
When a public figure dies two things become apparent in the coverage. First, an overview of the life provides a history lesson as one life is weaved through so many substantive national events. Second, the individual’s reflection on decisions and episodes can be viewed through the prism of today’s events. Robert McNamara, who was Secretary of Defense during much of the agonizing Vietnam War, is a case in point. McNamara’s death at 93 at his Washington home this morning was announced by his family today.
One must wonder what seed may be planted in Donald Rumsfeld this morning as he begins to read and reflect on McNamara’s life. Rarely do two public figures follow such identical paths as Rumsfeld like McNamara applied the lessons learned as a business executive to their management of public institutions. Both were at the helm during unpopular wars faced with accusations of war crimes; serving as lightning rods for war opponents and efforts to charge each with crimes against humanity.
Late in his life, McNamara shared with filmmaker Errol Morris his regrets upon reflection of the stubborn ‘stay the course’ mentality that dismissed even the most thoughtful and constructive criticism as merely anti-war propaganda. History tells us that ‘staying the course’ cost thousands of young Americans their lives and may have unleashed a genocide killing millions of Cambodians. Its unknowable absent U.S. forces if the region would have stabilized but the intervention was clearly destabilizing both in Southeast Asia and in the U.S.
Both men became the human face of the tragedies and triumphs of their foreign adventures. How long will Rumsfeld wait to make a similar mea culpa? Does today’s overheated partisan and media climate make such truth telling imprudent?
Only time will tell, but the pressures of the private struggles of public officials was lived out in the life of Robert McNamara and his death will dredge up old arguments and sadly partisan commentaries that will only add to the current rhetorical maelstrom. McNamara served his country and certainly felt that he was as much a victim of the Vietnam imbroglio as those forced into service. It is hoped that his passing will serve more as an opportunity for grace from all sides and a moment to illuminate; to shed light rather than heat.
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