Customer Reviews

By His Own Rules : The Ambitions, Successes, and Ultimate Failures of Donald Rumsfeld

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Donald Rumsfeld is a complicated and enigmatic man whose six year tenure as Secretary of Defense (SecDef) under President George W Bush was enormously controversial. This book is a rather bold attempt to provide a 'definitive' biography of a man who has remained a mystery even to his closest associates. Graham has chosen to craft his biography around an extensive compilation of direct quotes from the utterances and writings of Rumsfeld or those who were closely associated with him. He has organized this book in a straight chronology of Rumsfeld's own words, or those of his associates, organized by subjects within each time period. Yet in the end he has utterly failed to really define and explain the man who for six years was one of the most powerful men within the U.S. National Security Establishment. Perhaps the problem is that in a misplaced effort at objectivity, Graham has studiously avoided any real analysis of Rumsfeld's statements even to the extent not providing any in depth context. Apparently for the same reason Graham avoids any analysis of persons or experiences that have influenced Rumsfeld's intellectual development. Finally Graham made no effort to investigate Rumsfeld's long and close relationship with Vice President Cheney or indeed explore his relationship with any of the other senior officials who served with him in the George W. Bush administration. As a result, the reader is left with an 800 plus page book of the sayings of Secretary Rumsfeld that fails to give any real feel for this remarkable and controversial man.

Author overwhelms reader with too much details and little context. No description of Rumsfeld's relationships with Bush, Powell, Rice, military chiefs etc. Every bit of detail author could obtain on Rumsfeld from interviews, unpublished memos, and newspaper articles are provided but with no supporting context given. Typical of a newspaper writer attempting to write a historical biography.

This, surely, must be the definitive account of Rumsfeld's second tenure at the Dept of Defence. I think his fascination is a combination of his iconoclasm and his articulateness. He also appears to be very astute at political infighting.
The story is familiar and doesn't need me to recount it. In general I think the account is fair. The author notes that Rumsfeld twice offered to resign in the wake of the Abu Ghraib affair, and while apparently an honourable course the author also notes that some felt this was a tactical pre-emption of President Bush. The author doesn't come to a judgement on this.
The text goes through 700 pages and leaves you literally feeling the weight of the Pentagon administration. I was struck by the rate at which four star generals came and went; the number of commanders in Iraqi, the steady stream of retirees and so forth. I thought this must be a bit of a problem in terms of continuity. There is sympathy for Rumsfelds efforts a modernizing the fighting machine and making efficiencies, thought the pushback that his levels of interference - in particular with deployments prior to the invasion of Iraq were very nearly disastrous.
I was amused at the description of `snowflakes' - one page memos from Rumsfeld - distributed to all levels of the organisation outlining his thoughts, specific and general, on the ways to change the organisation.
One major area of weakness, I feel, in the book is the description of the circumstances which lead to prisoner abuse. This took place in Army run prisions in Cuba, Iraq and elsewhere. The author buys into an argument that `certain practices' were authorised for use only in Cuba, and only for a very short period before being rescinded. The fact that these practices were used in other locations and for longer periods, seems to be a mystery to the Secretary of Defense at the time. I am not convinced.
Otherwise the book is a fascinating view of Rumsfeld's challenge, and as a description of real life falls on neither side of praise or blame. There are curious views, in particular, that Rumsfeld viewed the insurgency in Iraq as a sideshow, and that he withdrew from decisions about it, even as it intensified.

The author penned this book with journalist's eye and historian's care, and of course, biographer's sympathy. The most interesting part, to me, is about Rumsfeld's tenure in Nixon and Ford's White House, his first tour at the Pentagon, and his experience in the private sector after leaving politics in 1977. He emerged from these experiences as an exceedingly capable and ambitious executive with a huge ego and strong personality, which, perhaps more than any thing else, sheds light on his contraversial tenure as SecDef in GWB's administration and his management of the wars.

The book also provides some interesting historic anecdotes. For example, when DR was running for GOP nomination in the 1987-88 presidential primary, Dick Cheney, once DR's assistant whose political career benefited more from DR's nurturing than anybody else's, declined to support him. This surprised DR and would strain their relationship for some years to come. It turned out Cheney's calculation would pay off pretty soon. He became Bush 41's SecDef shortly after Bush assumed office. Had Cheney lent support to DR, given the hard feelings between Bush and DR, there would certainly be no Secretary Cheney and most likely no Vice President Cheney. No permanent buddies, no permanent foes. The only thing permanent in politics is interest. This is indeed a time-honored rule.

What an excelent story and history of the man. If nothing else a lesson in management style. /and the record of his life. Loved this book except it is a heavy hold.

Very detailed and yet not bogged down. Enjoyed reading it. The author captured the true essence of this complicated and driven man.

About time someone took the time and energy to write a complicated book about a complicated man. Graham seems to be the only one who's more interested in telling the truth than telling us what to feel. This book goes DEEP, mines ALL the facts, and allows the reader to make up their own mind about Rummy. Personally, I now condemn him as much as I ever did, but now feel like my condemnation is based on a more educated, well rounded understanding of this man, and not just parroting what I might have heard on cable news.

This is a remarkable book about a not so remarkable man. Fox News people should read the book to get a true picture of fair and balanced.

I dislike Mr Rumsfeld intensely and this book did not change my mind, but it is thorough, fair, excellently written and well researched. Rumsfeld is certainly given credit where it is due and properly called to task for his foibles and blunders.

Rumsfeld comes off in the book (and in most accounts I have read) as a Jekyll and Hyde figure, impossible to get a firm grip on. He was ambitious, arrogant, seemingly smart but loyal to power and himself (butt kisser)..and certainly not someone to turn your back on. A master of selective engagement and cutting and running. First and foremost a "Me first" guy, which in the Iraq cost countless thousands of lives and America's reputation.

True to form, Rumsfeld would not discuss Iraq with the author (although he was interviewed on various occasions for the book.

Love or hate him, this book is remarkably well written and in Don's word "Calls a spade a spade".. Just wish Rumsfeld had been dealt out the political game by Nixon way back when. A lot of brave young men would be alive today.

Despite the author's access to the subject, the author seems to have written an honest, unbiased account of Rummy's tenure.

I've had Bradley Graham's massive biography of Donald Rumsfeld sitting around for almost a year. Titled By His Own Rules, this book provides an extensive look at one of the most beguiling characters of recent decades. I plodded through about 250 pages, and then stalled out. I had come to the point at which Rummy became the Secretary of Defense. Probably because so much of what happened under his tenure remains raw, I didn't have the enthusiasm to keep reading, despite several attempts. More hearty readers might plow on, but my heart wasn't in it.