Customer Reviews

Our Own Worst Enemy

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I am disappointed that this is not in print apparently. The book is great for taking what happened or in 68 what was happening and see what this guy has to say about it in Vietnam. Then, voila, just look to Iraq. For instance if you read 'the initiative has passed from the insurgents to the American forces and their allies' you'd think maybe it was Rummy telling us about the Iraqi Army. But it was McGeorge Bundy in 1965 telling the American people all is well with the war effort and our troops had only been in Nam six months then. Another problem in Iraq is that our 'allies' the Iraqi police and so called Army selling our guys out. For instance in this book they mention the problem of the 1968 Tet Offensive and how the attack on the US EMbassy was led by Embassy employees. Great book that validates we just might be in another Vietnam and not know it because as quoted back then in the book 'it seems that the majority of official reports on the situation there have been untrue" Good book

Read this book and then reflect on what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan. Look for similarities in policy at the highest levels and at the execution of this policy in the streets and villages of these countries. I read this book in the late 1960s as I worked on a paper. I have to admit I didn't revisit it until I read of the death of Captain Lederer. It would be worth a reprint. I encourage all international affairs specialists to devote an evening to reading this book, it isn't too long, and then reflect hard and long over what is said in the book and what is going on in the world now. I think this is the best of Lederer's writings and I highly recommend it.