Early in the Vietnam War (1961) Robert Heinlein famously said:

I also think there are prices too high to pay to save the United States. Conscription is one of them. Conscription is slavery, and I don't think that any people or nation has a right to save itself at the price of slavery for anyone, no matter what name it is called. We have had the ( Read more... )

From the Washington Post‘s obituary:

In Halberstam’s judgment, McNamara “did not serve himself or his country well. He was, there is no kinder or gentler word for it, a fool.”

Can be found here.

My (very short) synopsis:

1. POTUS tried to treat this as a law enforcement matter.
2. All action was deferred until law enforcement could arrive on scene.
3. On Scene Commander, when returned to his standing ROE, acted promptly.