Halberstam's observations have the same sort of calm clarity one finds in Sun Tzu's The Art of War. And the same spirit as well. By making wisdom the enemy, we have doomed ourselves to defeat. By ensuring that this war will have no David Halberstam, we have doomed ourselves to defeat.

I don't mean that there aren't brave truth-telling reporters. But they damn sure aren't writing for the New York Times day in, day out, reporting the views of saavy, independently-minded military commanders in the field.

Thank you for the commentary and memories of a great journalist who had no equal.

David Halberstam was a giant of journalism. His fearless, frequently scathing reportage of the Vietnam War signalled a new, and necessarily sceptical, stance by his profession.

In the face of ever more sophisticated Administration's "message management", the temptation for journalists is to repeat what they're told, rather than report what they've taken the trouble to discover. The reward for the faithful 'repeaters', like Judy Miller & Tim Russert, are considerable: Excellent pay, power, prestige & privileged insider access. Those who report what the government does rather than what it says particularly, like Halberstam, in a time of war, risk official ostracism, professional obscurity, personal attack & accusations of treachery. Nowadays it takes a very brave journalist and an outlet of rare integrity, to follow in Halberstam's footsteps.

That journalistic 'road less travelled' has recently seen a little more traffic thanks to you Mr.Greenwald & others like you, for holding the profession, as well as the Government, accountable. In your penetrating analysis, dogged research, righteous anger & acerbic wit, you're rapidly becoming a worthy successor to this giant of journalism, sadly passed.

Yes. It's too bad wise men are not occupying Washington...

Guess which country is the most aggressive in the world? The United States has bombed,attacked or invaded 17 countries since the end of the Second World War. It is far and away the most aggressive country on earth leaving all other contenders trailing in its wake. How many countries has Iran bombed, attacked or invaded since the end of the Second World War? None. Zero. Not one. It was, itself, attacked by Iraq at the instigation of the U.S. who armed Saddam Hussein with every weapon he wanted. He used some of these weapons later to invade Kuwait - but that's another story. It is therefore strange for David Halberstam to call Iran 'a much more dangerous country'. I would say 'Define more dangerous' or perhaps, 'Dangerous to whom?' Which country is the biggest producer and seller of arms in the world? The U.S. sells 45.8% of all weapons sold, including weapons sold to countries defined by its own State Department as 'undemocratic'. Russia and Britain come in second and third - Britain 13%, Russia 15% of weapons sold.Far behind The Champ. America's number one customer for arms is Saudi Arabia. Perhaps that's where Mr Halberstam's examination of 9/11 should have started because I,like so many others all around the world, would dearly love to hear the truth. I'm still waiting.