A Time to Fight: Reclaiming a Fair and Just America | Jim Webb

A Time to Fight: Reclaiming a Fair and Just America | Jim Webb | Candid assessment

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A Time to Fight: R...

	A Time to Fight: Reclaiming a Fair and Just America Jim Webb Broadway, 2008 - 272 pages average customer review:based on 39 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Senator Jim Webb's plan to restore America's greatness

Senator Webb successfully makes the case for civic action to change American society from one in which there are only two classes: wealthy and poor; to one in which there is, again, a middle class that dominates and brings back ethics and hope for America to remain a nation of moral people that make achievement possible for everyone. He's hard on the GOP,the ruling party of the past ten years. He makes the case for replacing their values of greed and "trickle-down" economics with a much more socially responsible leadership.

Candid assessment

Like many people, I thought I knew what to expect from Jim Webb, but I was pleasantly surprised. He is far broader and a much better writer than I expected. I see now why he is being considered as a VP for Obama. He would make an excellent choice and America would be better off for it. I liked his writing style so much, I am going to read some of his other books.

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important issues raised by a rising star

A Time to Fight by Jim Webb is a very good book written by the newly elected Democratic Senator from Virginia. Webb cuts a very interesting figure on the political stage-a former Republican and Reagan-era official, who changed parties due to his opposition to the Iraq war. At least thats what i thought before reading the book. Webb talks about a whole range of issues, from those that are important to the military to the unfairness of the criminal justice and the huge gap between rich and poor, the latter two which are often neglected by today's political leaders. His discussion of these issues shows he has embraced a populist mantle, partly in response to his deep seated opposition to the Bush Administration. Some of his old time conservatism does come out at times, such as his critiques of the Left's cultural liberalism. The book does contain a good deal of autobiography, but occassionally, it is a little self-congratulatory and seems to meander in many different directions but overall, an interesting work by a true American patriot.

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Well written

Senator Webb writes extremely well. He makes a strong case for his beliefs. I was particularly impressed with his discussion about the state of imprisonment in this country.

"A Time to Fight...Republicans"

After a very compelling first chapter "Scorpions in a Jar," I thought (hoped) Mr. Webb would spend the rest of the book detailing the intricacies of influencing the "scorpions" (meaning US Senators) to get legislation passed. Unfortunately, the first chapter was a tease. The rest of the book, while interesting and informative, appeared to be Webb's detailed resume for the Secretary of Defense or Vice President position in the next Democrat administration.

After explaining his decision to run for office, his horror that his own written words would be used against him, and his general distain for the nasty politics used agianst him, he failed to mention the efforts of 527's and others who besmerched his opponent at least as badly as he. To read Senator Webb's acccount, he was the only person in Virginia's Senatorial race who had mud slung at him, which was not the case at all. But his reprise of the election process did enhance his image as a fighter, for those not familiar with his military and government service, achievements, and recognition.

As a retired military bubba (Vietnam 'era' but never served in combat there) I found a few of his chapters and ideas very interesting:

"So Who Doesn't Like Soldiers Now?" contained an excellent and first ever analysis (that I have seen written by a Democrat) explaining why the Vietnam and post Vietnam era military generally do not like Democrats or the Democrat party. Webb says polls show active military are more likely to identify themselves as Republicans 8:1 over Democrats. He clearly explains how it was that a Democrat administrations got us into Vietnam (Kennedy's), micromanaged the military and prevented victory (Johnson's), and subsequently a Democrat controlled Congress abandoned the military efforts in that war by "defunding" the conflict, all the while Democrat Anti-war activities were on-going and subsequently assigned the follow-on Republican administration and the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who served in Vietnam "responsibility" for the whole Vietnam "problem."

I think he does a pretty good job of identifying the disconnect between the lack of a defined, consistent US national strategy and congruent civil political and military activity. What he does not do is investigate why that is the case. Perhaps that has something to do with what gets politicians elected (remember the phrase: "...it's the economy stupid?") Few presidents are willing to bet their Presidency on funding and executing a coherent national strategy when lack of attention to entitlement programs, the housing market, and the economy at home are the issues that will guarantee reelection. (This goes for Senators too by the way. Please note only 13 Republican Senators voted against the Fannie May & Freddie Mac "bail out." All Democrat Senators that voted (including Webb) voted for that multi-billion dollar government largess that tax paying, seniors/baby boomers/Gen X &Y'ers, our children, and our children's children will be paying for a long, long, long time. Webb voted for this abomination of a bill despite decrying the influence of the Chinese as major owners of US debt. Apparently, staying in line with his Democrat cohorts for a "party line vote" was more important to Mr. Webb than the implications of extending our line of credit with the Chinese.)

He also provides a very logical and believable historical overview of US involvement in the Middle East (at least since the bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut) that outlines valid concerns for US forces that should have been more heavily weighted by "Dubya's" advisers before initiating the war to remove Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

In "MacArthur Go Home" his analysis of the politics of Civilian Executive Leadership removing responsibility for making battle space strategic and tactical decisions from the battle field commanders starting with Truman firing MacArthur is a perceptive if not new observation. He alleges that Bush 43's and Rumsfeld's continued and refined the mismanagement of military leaders by ignoring of recommendations by both experienced active duty and retired (Shinseki and Zinny) general officers further emasculating military leadership as simply "tools" of elected and appointed politicians - not makers of policy or even controllers of national/battle space campaign strategy. Fortunately he also described Truman administration State Department's blunders that may and probably were key factors in North Korea's decision to invade South Korea which thus required military intervention. In other words what happened under the Bush 41 and 43 administrations in the Middle East is not new to this country.

He could have cited similar instances of politically motivated Executive Branch management/manipulation/mismanagement of the use of military force in the Clinton Administration. US involvement in Bosnia and Somalia are two excellent examples, but Webb chose to take aim at only George W. Bush who many readers will know and Truman who many readers will not be as familiar with. There are also legion examples of the contempt and disrespect shown to active duty military by the Clinton White House. However, those are not mentioned in this book, but as a fomer Marine, Congressional Staffer, Republican adminstration official, and Washington insider/correspondent I am sure Webb is very aware of them.

If Senator Webb truly desires to 'Reclaim a Fair and Just America,' I suggest he provide some pro bono legal services on behalf of Airman Apprentice Steven Nary.

Despite numerous oversights, selective examples of what some have called the "politics of personal destruction," and some whining, I enjoyed Senator Webb's book, but perhaps he should have titled his book: "A Time To Fight...Republicans."

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reviews: 1, 2, page 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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