Why Bush's presidency was an Epic Fail

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/why-bushs-presidency-was-epic-fail

Karen DeYoung at the WaPo had an interesting report on the change of style
that Obama is bringing to the White House, particularly in how it approaches
the military:

Obama has been careful to separate his criticism of Bush policy from his
praise of the military's valor and performance, while Michelle Obama's
public expressions of concern for military families have gone over well. But
most important, according to several senior officers and civilian Pentagon
officials who would speak about their incoming leader only on the condition
of anonymity, is the expectation of renewed respect for the chain of command
and greater realism about U.S. military goals and capabilities, which many
found lacking during the Bush years.

"Open and serious debate versus ideological certitude will be a great
relief to the military leaders," said retired Maj. Gen. William L. Nash of
the Council on Foreign Relations. Senior officers are aware that few in
their ranks voiced misgivings over the Iraq war, but they counter that they
were not encouraged to do so by the Bush White House or the Pentagon under
Donald H. Rumsfeld.

"The joke was that when you leave a meeting, everybody is supposed to
drink the Kool-Aid," Nash said. "In the Bush administration, you had to
drink the Kool-Aid before you got to go to the meeting."

There's no better way to lose a war than to have your on-the-ground
decisions be forced through an ideological prism. ................
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