The Nation: The Particular Tragedy of Robert McNamara

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Throughout his career as Defense Secretary, McNamara the technician seemed to be at war with McNamara the humanist. The man of supreme self-confidence was more of a Hamlet than anyone knew—torn between technocratic and humanistic impulses and afraid to go too far either way. If he had swung in one direction, would he have been more successful? Even McNamara could not answer that one. Probably no humanist could have brought the Pentagon under control, and no technocrat could conduct the Viet Nam War.

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GREGG KEESLING on reports that he received a call from an Army official saying he wasn't eligible to receive a condolence letter from President Obama because his son committed suicide, rather than dying in action
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GREGG KEESLING on reports that he received a call from an Army official saying he wasn't eligible to receive a condolence letter from President Obama because his son committed suicide, rather than dying in action

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