Bing West's 'The Strongest Tribe': Valuable AnalysisScholar-warrior lauds American soldiers - and lambastes our civilian leadership
If George W. Bush proclaims victory in Iraq, I have a hunch that Bing West, an old Marine combatant, will be thinking, "Yeah, buddy, but you almost gave it away in 2006. And you were bailed out by the generals and grunts."
If you read only a few pages, West's "The Strongest Tribe" could be dismissed as an anti-Bush screed, accompanied by anecdotes about soldiers and Marines at war. But that would be wrong. This is, instead, a valuable analysis of the down-and-up progress of a troubling war.
West, an infantry officer in Vietnam who has written two prior books about the Iraq war, finds abundant evidence of wisdom and bravery among American warriors and faults the press for focusing on mistakes instead of heroism. Yet he finds a corresponding level of incompetence among U.S. civilian leadership — led from the top by an uninvolved and credulous president.
George W. Bush, writes the author, forfeited a president's role to hold civilian and military leaders accountable and rewarded loyalty above performance. West offers a celebrated example we all can remember:
In 2005 Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Gen. Tommy Franks, Ambassador Paul Bremer and former CIA Director George Tenet. What had they done to deserve the honor? Let's take them one by
If you read only a few pages, West's "The Strongest Tribe" could be dismissed as an anti-Bush screed, accompanied by anecdotes about soldiers and Marines at war. But that would be wrong. This is, instead, a valuable analysis of the down-and-up progress of a troubling war.
West, an infantry officer in Vietnam who has written two prior books about the Iraq war, finds abundant evidence of wisdom and bravery among American warriors and faults the press for focusing on mistakes instead of heroism. Yet he finds a corresponding level of incompetence among U.S. civilian leadership — led from the top by an uninvolved and credulous president.
George W. Bush, writes the author, forfeited a president's role to hold civilian and military leaders accountable and rewarded loyalty above performance. West offers a celebrated example we all can remember:
In 2005 Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Gen. Tommy Franks, Ambassador Paul Bremer and former CIA Director George Tenet. What had they done to deserve the honor? Let's take them one by
West, an infantry officer in Vietnam who has written two prior books about the Iraq war, finds abundant evidence of wisdom and bravery among American warriors and faults the press for focusing on mistakes instead of heroism. Yet he finds a corresponding level of incompetence among U.S. civilian leadership — led from the top by an uninvolved and credulous president.
George W. Bush, writes the author, forfeited a president's role to hold civilian and military leaders accountable and rewarded loyalty above performance. West offers a celebrated example we all can remember:
In 2005 Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Gen. Tommy Franks, Ambassador Paul Bremer and former CIA Director George Tenet. What had they done to deserve the honor? Let's take them one by one:
Read more ....
My Comment: I have read the book .... it is well worth the time to read it.
George W. Bush, writes the author, forfeited a president's role to hold civilian and military leaders accountable and rewarded loyalty above performance. West offers a celebrated example we all can remember:
In 2005 Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Gen. Tommy Franks, Ambassador Paul Bremer and former CIA Director George Tenet. What had they done to deserve the honor? Let's take them one by one:
Read more ....
My Comment: I have read the book .... it is well worth the time to read it.