RUMSFELD’S MEMO, REVISITED: Reader David Campbell points to this article in Slate, and observes:
If you read this then Rumsfield’s memo makes even more sense. It is the mentality of the senior brass of the Army that he is trying to overcome. If he can change the way the army is approaching this problem then we may expect some success in the war on terror in places like Iraq.
Yes. Fred Kaplan’s spin is typically negative, but the piece illustrates an important point. It’s possible to disagree with the specifics of Rumsfeld’s campaign to shake up the Army brass, but I think the need for such a shakeup is pretty plain, as is the unfortunate tendency of the brass to resist critiques of their performance.