Robert McNaÂmaÂra, the archiÂtect of the failed VietÂnam War, died earÂliÂer this week. He was a major force on the AmerÂiÂcan politÂiÂcal scene throughÂout the 1960s. Then, he re-emerged in 2004, when Errol MorÂris released The Fog of War, an Oscar-winÂning docÂuÂmenÂtary that feaÂtures McNaÂmaÂra lookÂing back on his career and highÂlightÂing the lessons learned from the VietÂnam expeÂriÂence. You can watch the film above. (AdmitÂtedÂly the film qualÂiÂty is not the best.) Or you can buy it here.
In the meanÂtime, a quick facÂtoid: After McNaÂmaÂra left the JohnÂson adminÂisÂtraÂtion under a fair amount of disÂgrace, he was appointÂed to lead The World Bank. Fast forÂward to 2005, and we have Paul WolÂfowitz, a key archiÂtect of the Iraq War, leavÂing the Dept. of Defense also under disÂgrace and getÂting to lead The World Bank. Now we know where our next milÂiÂtary bunÂgler will go and save some face…
An excerpt from John RalÂston Sauls “Voltaire’s BasÂtards” which McNaÂmaÂra defÂiÂniteÂly was:
“Robert McNaÂmaÂra is, John RalÂston Saul says, a man of honÂour. His career has been foundÂed upon the belief that “the appliÂcaÂtion of reaÂson, logÂic and effiÂcienÂcy will necÂesÂsarÂiÂly proÂduce good.” In McNaÂmaÂra’s own mind he is probÂaÂbly a modÂern RicheÂlieu or BisÂmarÂck, in Saul’s he is a kind of diploÂmatÂic NorÂman WisÂdom, a well-meanÂing fool whose actions “have resultÂed in unconÂtrolÂlable disÂasÂters from which the West has not recovÂered.”
McNaÂmaÂra startÂed the arms race, preÂcipÂiÂtatÂed the failÂure of VietÂnam and creÂatÂed the Third World debt criÂsis. It is a proud record that puts him at the head of Saul’s long list of blunÂderÂers who have been dazÂzled and hypÂnoÂtised by a conÂcepÂtion of ratioÂnalÂiÂty that is inefÂfecÂtive and, freÂquentÂly, lethal.
The reaÂson before which the incomÂpeÂtent ratioÂnalÂist techÂnocrats prosÂtrate themÂselves is a perÂverÂsion of the reaÂson of the EnlightÂenÂment. What the techÂnocrats mean by reaÂson is the objecÂtive appliÂcaÂtion of experÂtise and analyÂsis to the facts and to the future. Such a defÂiÂnÂiÂtion has cerÂtain impliÂcaÂtions: it excludes valÂues, it simÂpliÂfies and it creÂates herÂmetÂic sodalÂiÂties of experÂtise. FurÂtherÂmore, this reaÂson is anti-demoÂcÂraÂtÂic: the voice of the peoÂple will clearÂly get in the way and, from the perÂspecÂtive of the techÂnoÂcrat, will probÂaÂbly be wrong.”
Robert McNaÂmaÂra symÂbolÂized AmerÂiÂca’s deep rootÂed affinÂiÂty for funÂdaÂmenÂtalÂist reaÂson which I believe, over the years has sigÂnifÂiÂcantÂly, shaped its forÂeign polÂiÂcy. This funÂdaÂmenÂtalÂist “reaÂson” is sort of the philoÂsophÂiÂcal dual of funÂdaÂmenÂtalÂist reliÂgion and McNaÂmaÂra was its Osama. We’re talkÂing about the Bay of Pigs, The Cuban MisÂsile CriÂsis and evenÂtuÂalÂly VietÂnam. Instead of critÂiÂcizÂing the man — Id rather take a dig at his legaÂcy — this “slick” image of “wont take no for an answer” AmerÂiÂcan is what needs to be chalÂlenged and thankÂfulÂly is. I have nothÂing perÂsonÂal against the US, I just wish it actÂed lessÂer than a “DefendÂer of the Free World” back in the day. A strong conÂtemÂpoÂrary critÂic of McNaÂmaÂra is Jon RalÂston Saul and I encourÂage anyÂone guilty of the “holiÂer than thou” image that AmerÂiÂcan often porÂtrayed, read.
-Varun
WolÂfowitz left the DepartÂment of Defense “under disÂgrace”? Well, if you conÂsidÂer deposÂing one of world’s most bruÂtal and oppresÂsive tyrants a failÂure, then I supÂpose yes. But for those of us who valÂue libÂerÂty and a just form of govÂernÂment, I don’t think so.