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Robert McNamara: Former Defense Secretary dies at 93

by Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke | July 6, 2009 at 05:23 am

310 views | 54 Recommendations | 10 comments

Former Defence Secretary Robert S. McNamara has died in his sleep at 93.

McNamara is widely known as the architect of the Vietnam war. He was President of the Ford Motor Company when he was appointed Secretary of Defence. He worked for both the John F. Kennedy and Johnson Administration.

He became the Administrations lightning rod against critics against the war being waged in southeast Asia.

McNamara was 93 and died at home.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A published report says former Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara has died.

The Washington Post reported on its Web site that McNamara died in his sleep at his home in Washington early Monday. He was 93.

McNamara served as secretary of defense during the Vietnam war under presidents Kennedy and Johnson.

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Jarrett Martineau

at 07:24 on July 6th, 2009

Thanks for this. Everyone should see Errol Morris' fantastic documentary The Fog of War — which examines McNamara's life and legacy.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 07:55 on July 6th, 2009

I agree Jarrett. Thanks for the recommendation of this documentary.

158

at 09:49 on July 6th, 2009

His time in office was 40 years ago

The world has changed greatly since then.

Barbara McPherson

at 09:52 on July 6th, 2009

It's so unfair that those that sent young Americans off to die in an Asian war get to die in their beds. Fitting that the young man in the vid. making the announcement didn't know who McNamara was.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 09:53 on July 6th, 2009

True things have changed. But sometimes I wonder if we're not just moving the change over to another player. The old saying the more things change the more they remain the same still apply.

hidflect

at 10:43 on July 6th, 2009

Right near my house is the key point of Sumida river where countless tens of thousands of Japanese died during the Tokyo fire bombing, Many drowned or were cooked alive in the water in addition to being sucked into the fireball.

Oddly, there is not one sign or plaque to mention the event amongst the many signs and plaques describing the local area. Japanese grow quickly indignant and angry at any mention of justifying Nagasaki or Hiroshima or any criticism of the anniversary as being "overdone" but are at a loss to explain to me why the firebombing is so unmarked.

It was Mr. IBM himself (also known as "an IBM machine with legs") who helped plan the Tokyo fire-bombing raids that attacked a population largely devoid of fighting men creating fires so large they flipped some of the bombers upside down on their return run. As he said himself "Had we lost the war, we would have been accused of war crimes, and rightly so".

Patrick Hanlon

at 12:40 on July 6th, 2009

Was he 93 or 86?

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 18:16 on July 6th, 2009

Thanks for noticing that error Patrick he was 96.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 18:19 on July 6th, 2009

Thanks for noticing Patrick, I have corrected it.

ppaulnyc

at 18:02 on July 6th, 2009

Isn't it interesting that certain folks get to live so long in peace and wellness regardless how taxing their actions had been on humanity. I can hope that one gets to account to those whose live was snuffed out of them just because they were Viet Namese and believed differently and those that were sent to fight a war that they have no reason fighting. May these spirits get to face their henchman.