Letters to the Editor
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Horne on presidents who blunder into bad wars
First, let me say that I have a lot of admiration for Alistair Horne's writing. I have most recently read "La Belle France" and learned a huge amount about the country that has had so much influence on the histories of the U.K., the U.S and the world.
It was interesting though, to read Sir Alistair recant his earlier support for the invasion, "because he was misled by the bogus intelligence". But so many people knew the intelligence was bogus as it was being spread by the President (and his minions) as well as by the Prime Minister. The PM even had some of his own ministers resign over the paucity of the casus belli. Why did Sir Alistair not look skeptically at the "evidence" and compare it to the arguments being made by the skeptics. Isn't that what a historian does? Look to both sides' assertions? And with his stated skepticism of British intelligence - and the known lack of capabilities of the U.S. intelligence services - perhaps he really wanted the invasion.
And with Bush now stubbornly repeating the mistakes of countries and leaders before him in persisting in an unwinnable cause - as frequently chronicled by Sir Alistair - Horne still seems to revel in the attention being paid him by Mr. Bush. Is there some fascination with being courted by the most powerful man in the world? Despite that man's imminent fate of becoming one of the biggest losers (and fools) ever in the world?
So Horne, one of Britain's two most eminent war historians, was fooled then and now can only regret his mistake? (The other British war historian John Keegan still will not admit that the Western invader made a political and strategic blunder, even if it was a brilliantly executed tactic.) I guess it's too much to think that as world authorities on politics and war they might have been able to see the historical long view, and to see behind the veil and speak out against the war before the "mistakes were made".
Despite my regret for Horne's mistake in judgement, I commend Mr. Kamiya for a good interview and a good read. I'm glad he got it, and glad that he brought it to us.