Robert S. McNamara Dies

Wow, a military legend passes on. Robert McNamara will probably be remembered by most as the SecDef who presided over much of the Vietnam Conflict. I've never saw the film "The Fog of War ," but it was on my list. He will be remembered by those of us within the Beltway for designing the DoD's Planning, Programming, and Budgeting System (PPBS) that is still in use today. As painful as it is to go through the process, it does offer a methodological path that allows for the development of a coherent and justifiable defense budget (such that it is).

Mr. McNamara spent countless hours as secretary of defense trying to fine-tune American plans for nuclear war, turning what had been a hair-trigger, all-or-nothing strategy into a series of more limited options. The underlying principle of nuclear deterrence became known as “mutual assured destruction” — meaning that Washington and Moscow each knew it could destroy the other even if the other struck first.

In retirement, Mr. McNamara argued that planning for nuclear war was futile. “Nuclear weapons serve no military purposes whatsoever,” he wrote. “They are totally useless — except only to deter one’s opponent from using them.”

Which to me still seems like a pretty important rationale for keeping them around. But let it not be forgotten that he was an intellectual giant in his time and was unafraid to challenge the services on the important issues of the day. Rest in peace, sir.

Comments

[Ray]

Robert McNamara was a very significant person indeed; a household name in a lot of UK homes- just to ordinary people; like me. You had to live through the years of the Cold War to appreciate this man's talent for playing chess against the Soviet threat. Curiously, they could be thankful, too, that he was closer to their appreciation of the necessity to keep the status quo. A negotation
genius. RIP, Aye.

[daskro]

That's surprising you haven't seen Fog of War. A great documentary by Morris.

[Kilo]

^ yeah watch that directly.

[ajay]

But let it not be forgotten that he was an intellectual giant in his time and was unafraid to challenge the services on the important issues of the day. Rest in peace, sir.

True, he got 58 000 Americans and about 2 million Asians killed for no real reason. But, in his favour, he designed a kickass program management system.
What a guy!

[Jibs]

Secretary McNamara was perhaps the most brilliant strategist our Nation has ever had in the position of Secretary of Defense. He was vilified in the press as the main “conspirator” of the Vietnam War yet after leaving said office spent the remainder of his life championing causes focused on the poor. I spent many hours while in graduate school reading about this great man – watching the Fog of War and listening to his narration one can only imagine the upbringing of this “whiz kid” and the intellectual discussions that took place with the Presidents he served. America has lost a bit of its heritage and soul as of yesterday with this passing. Rest Mr. Secretary for it is well deserved.