Would Rummy Pull a McNamara and Apologize?

Robert McNamara, the architect of the Vietnam War, eventually expressed regret for the conflict—but would Donald Rumsfeld ever apologize for Iraq? Unlikely—at least not anytime soon, writes a Rumsfeld biographer in the Washington Post. Thus far, the former secretary of Defense “has never appeared to waver in the conviction that invading Iraq was the right thing to do and that the US war plan was sound,” notes Bradley Graham.

Rumsfeld believes the media have shown “intellectual dishonesty,” distorting the war effort and his role in it. He says his strategy “largely succeeded” and that the 2007 troop surge wouldn’t have been effective during his tenure, even though other Bush officials “have been more willing to admit serious mistakes.” And with political debate on the war still raging, more time may be needed for a verdict and, perhaps, an apology; it took McNamara 28 years.