Tuesday, April 18, 2006
An Iraq War Planning Talk
...with COBRA II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq author Michael Gordon can be found here last night, courtesy of Columbia University blogger Ben Ryan.
Gordon is a very smart guy and -- while I haven't read the entire book yet -- it is very clear that he's not carrying water for people who have an ideological bone to pick with the administration. The book ends up being critical of Rumsfeld, but that is where Gordon (and co-author General Bernard Trainor) sources and reporting led them. Not surprisingly, several of the generals currently calling for the defense secretary's resignation are in this book.
At the same time, Gordon is dismissive of Democrats who claim that they were "duped" into supporting Bush on the war. Anyway, after last night's discussion, I am even more energized to complete the "long, hard slog" (600+ pages) through the book.
Special thanks to USMC Capt. (ret.) Dan McSweeney, enrolled in Columbia's SIPA program, for organizing the event and inviting yours truly.
It was great to find out, during dinner afterwards, that my old St. John's College friend Jeff Kojac (now Lt. Colonel Kojac) is one of the unsung heroes of Cobra II.
And to think I knew him when he was just a skateboarding L.A. dude on the College quad!
Technorati Tags: Michael Gordon, Iraq, COBRA II, Rumsfeld
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Gordon is a very smart guy and -- while I haven't read the entire book yet -- it is very clear that he's not carrying water for people who have an ideological bone to pick with the administration. The book ends up being critical of Rumsfeld, but that is where Gordon (and co-author General Bernard Trainor) sources and reporting led them. Not surprisingly, several of the generals currently calling for the defense secretary's resignation are in this book.
At the same time, Gordon is dismissive of Democrats who claim that they were "duped" into supporting Bush on the war. Anyway, after last night's discussion, I am even more energized to complete the "long, hard slog" (600+ pages) through the book.
Special thanks to USMC Capt. (ret.) Dan McSweeney, enrolled in Columbia's SIPA program, for organizing the event and inviting yours truly.
It was great to find out, during dinner afterwards, that my old St. John's College friend Jeff Kojac (now Lt. Colonel Kojac) is one of the unsung heroes of Cobra II.
And to think I knew him when he was just a skateboarding L.A. dude on the College quad!
Technorati Tags: Michael Gordon, Iraq, COBRA II, Rumsfeld
