Rumsfeld on Grant

At the end of the public briefing broadcast yesterday on CSPAN, SecDef Donald Rumsfeld mentioned he was reading a book about Grant. I wonder if it was Bonekemper's (see yesterday's post)? He commented on the Union's Spring 1864 losses comparing them to losses suffered in Iraq and Afghanistan, remarking that Grant's casualties "were worth it" just as current losses are.

An interesting choice of reading in these times.

We know that Cheney reads Civil War history, carrying duffel bags of books onto flights. Eisenhower read Ambrose's Halleck and selected that author to be his biographer.

Given the poor quality of most Civil War histories, this may not be a good pastime for key decisionmakers. How about a warning label on pop history covers: "For relaxation and entertainment only." I'd rest a little easier, myself, if I knew they were reading for pleasure rather than guidance.