McNamara's Mea culpa.

[harryopal1]

In 1995 the former US Secretary of Defence, Robert McNamara wrote a book,"In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam". In summary he said, “We were wrong, terribly wrong.” He concluded with a list of 11 lessons which America ought consider before entering into conflict.

Since the Vietnam war ended the US has been involved in 15 conflicts. It seems many policy makers in America have not read McNamara's book or noted his lessons.

1. We misjudged the geopolitical intentions of our adversaries
   American leaders misunderstood the motives of North Vietnam, China, and the Soviet Union and exaggerated the threat they posed.
2. We viewed the situation through our own cultural lens
   U.S. policymakers assumed others shared American political values and motivations, which led to serious misinterpretations.
3. We underestimated the power of nationalism
   Vietnamese nationalism was a far stronger motivating force than ideological communism.
4. We were ignorant of the country’s history, culture, and politics
   American leaders lacked deep understanding of Vietnam and the region.
5. We underestimated the limits of military power
   Modern technology and superior military force cannot easily defeat determined insurgent movements.
6. We failed to adapt our tactics to the nature of the conflict
   U.S. strategy did not properly adjust to guerrilla warfare and political struggle.
7. We failed to win the “hearts and minds” of the population
   Military actions often alienated the very people whose support was necessary.
8. We did not fully debate or challenge our assumptions
   The decision-making system discouraged open disagreement and rigorous questioning.
9. We did not adequately explain the war to the American public
   Public understanding and support were not honestly or clearly addressed.
10. We did not recognize that the U.S. cannot shape every outcome in the world
    Sometimes policymakers must accept “an imperfect and untidy world.”
11. We failed to organize government decision-making effectively
    The executive branch lacked structures that ensured thorough analysis and debate of complex military and political decisions.

 

[centurion]

Since the Vietnam war ended the US has been involved in 15 conflicts. It seems many policy makers in America have not read McNamara's book or noted his lessons.

Conflict is not always a bad thing.

In the last 80 years Vietnam was involved in 5 conflicts and won all of them.