Charlie Rose

Cuban Pete  10/06/2008 01:03 PM Report

Well while the lovely Ms. O'Sullivan is still a newby in strategic thought, at least the professionals (Patreaus, Kilkullen, etc) took the bulls by the horns and achieved victory. Yes, victory, much to the chagrin of the Democrats.

Cuban Pete  10/06/2008 01:03 PM Report

Well while the lovely Ms. O'Sullivan is still a newby in strategic thought, at least the professionals (Patreaus, Kilkullen, etc) took the bulls by the horns and achieved victory. Yes, victory, much to the chagrin of the Democrats.

David  09/30/2008 10:49 PM Report

Thank you, Mr. Rose. A brilliant interview of a sharp policy analyst who was at the center of the most important foreign policy events since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

I loved how Charlie kept her from spinning the straw-man arguments always employed by Bush administration.

Her focus on making decisions now based on the current situations is to be expected given her background and recent role. But Charlie's focus on learning lessons is more important:

* the Bush doctrine was a radical departure from bipartisan, successful U.S. policy (outside of the Western Hemisphere). It had no chance, and failed miserably. The individuals responsible in both executive and legislative branches should be held accountable to prevent it from happening again.

* right now Al Queda is beating us silly because of over-reaching: Al Queda has more recruits than ever, we're fiscally bankrupt and being pushed around in Georgia, Afghanistan, North Korea, and oil supplies.

To all you partisans: this is more important than election 2008 or your liberal/conservative labels. Pay attention!

web duce  06/20/2008 01:36 PM Report

She got a job teaching at Harvard and we canâ??t figure out why jobs are going offshore. The red necks graduating from her class better know Mandarin.

Tabs -- you canâ??t get laid - jack off as much you as you can and shoot ducks. Your toes will be shat on by the Chinese and Indians...

joe t  06/20/2008 01:35 PM Report

So, Lucifer has a daughter. The red hair is a nice touch. You'd have to expect that they can really talk. I see Charlie has moved on from pandering to corporate interests to pandering to the devil himself.

Let me just say, if we spent half as much trying to beat our moon shot as we spend trying to beat our Vietnams we might actually be in a better place.

Allan Ramesh  05/12/2008 08:43 PM Report

Thanks for pointing out that Energy Security and climate change may be the biggest challenges for the future President. Too bad our Presidential candidates McCain and Clinton offer us tax breaks on gasoline for the summer driving month instead of straight talk in response. Jack up demand and leave us in a bigger hole.... Politics as usual on the hill.

Bob  05/12/2008 08:33 PM Report

Morally bankrupt policies defended by someone who is a "foreign policy wonk" who finally got her hands dirty and realizes the real destructive implications of our actions.

One million Iraqi civilians dead, four million refugees, and terrible loss of our credibility. Who will stand up and accept responsibility?

basta!  05/11/2008 11:00 PM Report

could someone PLEASE PLEASE get Tabs a job!

dick Cheney  05/11/2008 09:30 PM Report

George you're a true statesman. Finally a voice of reason among these milquetoast postings. God bless you, and God bless America.

John Bladen  05/11/2008 04:27 PM Report

Ms. O'Sullivan's appearance on the show was a surprise to me. Most hard line republicans have been avoiding anything but carefully worded sound bytes since the "mission accomplished" speech...

I don't agree with her position, but I commend Ms. Sullivan for her willingness to appear on Charlie's show, and answer the tough questions she had to know were coming. She clearly has hope for the war yet, though it is tempered these days. I wish I could share that optimism. She makes some good arguments in favour of maintaining the action, but these are predicated on a quasi-positive outcome that is never explained. The "if we leave it will be worse" warning suggests there is an outcome possible that isn't horrific... and frankly I can't see one. If there is a path to success, I'd like to hear a detailed version of it from anyone in the loop... unfortunately, details seem never to be on the agenda, just more buzzwords.

George  05/09/2008 07:15 PM Report

What a great 8 years this has been! The liberals don't understand that no one has information until they try things and see how they work out. The Middle East analysis of G.H.W Bush's administration was too old to be worth anything.

The liberals do not appreciate the greater safety and security we all have because of people like Meghan O'Sullivan. We need to work hard to get McCain in the Whitehouse so that Meghan and the other hard-working Republicans that have given us 8 years of peace and prosperity can come back to secure our future.

Stay the course!

Observer  05/09/2008 06:05 PM Report

What a beautyful attractive young woman,and, articulate,gentle and sexy! Having said that,

dear Meghan, how many years you lived in Middle East, Africa or simply abroad to be eligible for such a sensitive post you got?!

How much did you know about the world culture, religion, etc. at this young age?! ANY REAL EXPERIENCE?! NO WONDER US IS IN SO MUCH TROUBLE SHAPING ITS FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS THE WORLD!!

Tom McGill  05/08/2008 06:27 PM Report

She gave a candid look at decision making under fire. It is much easuer to be right after he decision than before or during. This is a problem we all face when we try to make decisions. Let the critics appy the same rigor to their decisions and see how they make out.

James Garrison  05/07/2008 10:54 AM Report

The irony of it all! Finally, we find a (former) Bush administration official who is willing to admit mistakes, embraces the need to learn lessons from them, and even - gasp - talks about the need for humility in the use of American power! And, the reaction? The left can't stand it!

Joe O'Connor  05/07/2008 01:05 AM Report

Viewing Meghan Oâ??Sullivanâ??s appearance on the Charlie Rose show left me very favorably impressed with her knowledge, analysis, and ability to express these regarding the situations in Iraq, the good, the bad and the ugly. Iâ??m not without some knowledge of these subjects and the Middle East. Sheâ??s clearly used her time well to gather a global grasp of the subjects. Iâ??m waiting for the book.

In reading the posts here, Iâ??m surprised by her detractors, which number more than Iâ??d expect. Perhaps itâ??s liberal bias of the show's audience. Surely though, she can rest comfortably knowing that nearly all of these seem to be getting their knowledge by reading bumper stickers.

Peter Aiken  05/06/2008 06:12 PM Report

It was easy to see your frustration, Charlie Rose, in your interview of Meghan O'Sullivan of Harvard. The same frustration I had watching her: how can anyone so smart be so incredibly dumb? Had she ever heard of, or read, the book THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST? A book about the brilliant Ivy League men who put us into Vietnam, where we wallowed in abject stupidity for ten years, killing untold numbers of Vietnamese and over 40,000 of our own troops, some among them my good friends.

The writer Tim O'Brien, who fought in Vietnam and wrote of his experiences there, was asked about the similarity of Iraq War to Vietnamese War. He said - and I must paraphrase - that it was the same thing. We don't speak the language, we don't know the culture, we don't have the same religion, we know absolutely nothing of their history. And our military was geared up for a tank war in Europe. Meghan knew the Green Zone in Iraq and how to stay out of the sun. Maybe similar to the US Embassy in Saigon - before the Tet Offensive and before the fiasco of retreat. Everything Meghan said I heard before - a long time ago in 1969.

TABS  05/06/2008 05:56 PM Report

We should all strive to live by the better angels of our nature. However the reality of this world is that our circumstances don't always allow us to do so. Sometimes toes get stepped on in the process of achieving our goals and ambitions. It is disingenuous for one to eat the fruit of the tree that was grown in the soil of the attainment of those goals and ambitions and cry foul at the same time. That is where the American Left is at today, crying foul while eating the fruit.

The American left would be far better served accepting the fact that America acts in her own self interest, which the left derives benefit from and sometimes in those actions toes are stepped on. Those actions where toes are stepped on are part of the process that provides 3 meals a day for Americans both right and left. If the Left were truly so altruistic they would turn in their dinner plate and share their food with those who are less fortunate than America. That isn't happening, they enjoy eating their dinner and pontificating about how foul the gathering of it is.

Charlie  05/06/2008 04:10 PM Report

To Charlie Rose:

I just listened to the interview a 2nd time just to make sure I didn't miss anything the first time around. I heard correctly the first time. Dr. O'Sullivan was clear and lucid and right on target with her explanations of how we got there, what we did wrong, how the errors were made and where we need to go from here. Her courage to admit the errors should be applauded. We must remember that Dr. O'Sullivan didn't create the policies - that was done above her, and she didn't stoop to blaming others - even though that is where the blame resides. We know she is not in the tank for the Administration from her extensive biography and the fact that she wakes up to NPR! My guess is she was one of the dissenting voice that was not heeded.

Charlie Rose - have you read the other comments in this section from the left? It's really embarrassing to their cause. It's actually scary. I think every rock at MoveOn.org, the DailyKos and the Huffington Post was overturned and the bugs ran out and started typing madly on their computers. I think your audience is a little out there - somewhere between Pluto and the next galaxy.

As I said earlier, the truth hurts and the left was gored by Dr. O'Sullivan and they are screaming like a stuck pig. Free speech is OK as longs as it's from the left.

Charlie - aren't you ashamed by the left's behavior? I'm surprised that you don't turn Republican just so you can disassociate yourself from them! They all sound like Jeremiah Wright.

Chandra  05/06/2008 03:31 PM Report

Good interview Charlie. Meghan shows how difficult the job at hand in Iraq is. Hope she and her replacements succeed to make a viable democratic Iraq stand on its feet. Iraqis deserve nothing less after decades of Saddam tyranny and death and destruction of the current war...

Pat Croft  05/06/2008 01:05 PM Report

Charlie, After this interview, I can fully appreciate why we are having the trouble we are having in Iraq. Whomever quiped we learn by our mistakes got it wrong where life and death was at stake. Meghan was miss informed then as she is now. These people really did think they would have become hero's to their actions and achieve certain fame. This was nothing more than more political buzz with how good their intentions were without any association with the reality of the situation and responsibility. I would guess that this person has a hard time sleeping at nights.

Joel  05/06/2008 12:30 PM Report

So, Charlie, I have seen most of your interviews with "significant" people concerning Iraq. I was hoping that at some point you would ask or discuss the following topics: 1) Is the invasion of Iraq in your opinion a violation of international law? 2) How would you compare/contrast it to the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union? 3) There are today at least 2.2 million external refugees, 2 million internal refugees, and 1 million "excess" deaths caused by the war. If the US withdrew tomorrow how could the next 5 years possibly be worse than the last 5 years? 25% of the population is now either dead or displaced. 4) How would you compare the "interference" of Iran in Iraq to the "interference" of Saudi Arabia in Iraq?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_the_Iraq_War

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refugees_of_Iraq

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancet_surveys_of_Iraq_War_casualties#The_second_study_.282006.29

I was also hoping you would consider inviting Dilip Hiro on your show:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dilip_Hiro

Bruce  05/06/2008 12:03 PM Report

Great interview. Charlie proved that this woman is insane

mksmith  05/06/2008 10:12 AM Report

speechless... she is absolutely shameful. the US is at present a disaster, greatly due to the Iraq war. for her, after these 5+ years of failure in Iraq, to not take even a minute aspect of responsibility is absolutely shameful. why this administration, including her, is not being charged with war crimes is beyond comprehension.

shame on you Meghan O'Sullivan.

Michael  05/06/2008 02:19 AM Report

It is so sad to see the apologists try to come up with new ways to wiggle out of responsibility. This was the special adviser on Iraq and Afghanistan in 2005 and 2006, two of the most "special" years of those wars. The worst part about it, is that these "experts" whose real expertise is delivering failure leave the administration and are rewarded by organizations such as Harvard and CNN (see T. Snow and F. Townsend).

She gives you the non-answer about not knowing what you get and the unknown price. Well how about the follow up question to her...Let's say, Iraq becomes a peaceful democracy...how much is that worth to you...1000000 lives and $1 trillion? If not, what do you think is a fair price to pay for that outcome?

Charlie, please stop giving these people so many chances to put excuses ("...mistakes were made but you need to understand the context..."). They just need to admit that they were not prepared at all for the job and now they have the blood of hundreds of thousands (Soldiers + Iraqis) , a $500+billion price tag and a weaker USA on their hands.

mike  05/06/2008 12:27 AM Report

Wasn't there an O'Sullivan who advised Bonnie Prince Charlie to attack over marshy, uneven ground at the Battle of Culloden? This was done against the advice of all Prince Charles' field commanders, but unfortunately he listened to O'Sullivan who had no military experience and was basically just a political secretary. This caused the defeat of the Highlanders and banished the Stuarts from England and Scotland forever.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Culloden

History does have a habit of repeating itself. The original O'Sullivan, Prince Charles' Secretary was also supposed to be a genius.

Charlie  05/05/2008 10:28 PM Report

Here's the link again about Sandy Berger. It got cut off in my previous Comment. I have put it in two pieces, so please put it together to read it:

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/

archive/200805/NAT20080505c.html

Charlie  05/05/2008 10:20 PM Report

Jerry - you are right on target.

The fact that so many vitriolic comments were written about Dr. O'Sullivan is proof that she spoke the truth and the truth really hurts the left and the "blame America first" crowd.

Also, we should not forget what the Clintons did to the Serbians. He was impeached for the wrong reason - he should have been impeached for a war which was not approved by Congress (unlike Iraq). Wesley Clark should be tried for war crimes.

How come it's OK to bring troops from home from Iraq, but not the Balkans?

Read this article and see why Kosovo was about oil and how the Clintons lied (again) about why we went to war.

http://www.agitprop.org.au/stopnato/19991209pipenmax.php

Also, let's not forget that Sandy Berger stole documents from the National Archives.

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200805/NAT20080505c.html

It's amazing how short the memory is on the left!

Hazem  05/05/2008 10:17 PM Report

HEADLINE: "Prototypical 'A' student sells soul to help 1 million Iraqis lose their lives so that she can get a nice job." This bimbo got on my bad side immediately when she made that "you dont know what deal your getting until you know what you bought" comment. If more people like her have been in charge of our government, it comes as no surprise that Iraq is currently in the 7th ring of hell (she would argue its only the 3rd).

If I learned anything from this interview, it's that if you look pretty, can talk a lot of BS, and leave your moral conscience at home, you will get far in life. Meanwhile, others will suffer.

Jerry Baker  05/05/2008 09:35 PM Report

I've read every book there is on the Iraq, so I am happy to add some knowledge about who Meghan O'Sullivan is to this string of comment. First, if people can open their minds enough, they may be interested to know she is an independent, not a republican! Bob Woodward - and others - have catalogued how Rumsfeld and Cheney fired her from the group that volunteered to go to Iraq in 2003 because she did not have "the correct political views." It was only Colin Powell's intervention that restored her to the effort. Almost every book talks about O'Sullivan being the exception to the raft of ideological people. According to critical writers like George Packer - she was a breath of fresh air, committed to doing the right thing, and pushed back against decisions like deba'athification and was responsible for seeing that army members were paid even after the army was disbanded. So, as someone below said, one should look a little closer at what she did and hold the people at the top responsible for decisions.

Kent V  05/05/2008 08:18 PM Report

It takes little imagination to understand how Meghan O'Sullivan fit in with the Bush cabal and perpetuated the insanity - her appointment to Harvard's Kennedy School of Government is the equivalent of hiring Alberto Gonzalez to teach constitutional law and Jeffrey Skilling to teach business ethics... well done crimson!!

TABS  05/05/2008 05:47 PM Report

Let us move the discussion past the "Green Zone Girl." The question is does the United States still have the intestinal fortitude to be a Super Power? When the British occupied Iraq back in the 1920s and their troops were fired upon by the Iraqis, they would go into the village and take out 10 men and shoot them. That sent a message to the Iraqis not to mess with them. To be a Super Power means dirty deeds have to be done dirt cheap or you cease to be a Super Power. Being a Super Power is not a popularity contest. To keep enjoying the fruits and perks of a Super Power means getting your hands dirty sometimes. That is the cold hard reality of this world. Call it evolution and survival of the fittest if you will. Now how to go about being a Super Power. The model that Augustus Caesar laid down is about the best. Augustus never lived in a big palace and kept saying to the Romans that in another 5 years or so when things got better he would return Rome to being a Republic again. He fully realized that the only way he would ever cease to be a Caesar was feet first, and on occasion people went missing. During his reign of 40 or so years Rome enjoyed a Golden Age of prosperity. Unfortunately the Bush Administration and the NEO Boobs that influence its direction have failed to take that warning to heart, and have told the world it "our way or the highway." Mother always told me, "To give em a reach around to make em feel good about themselves when your screwing em." That is in essence what the Bush Administration has failed to do and you can see the results in how the world views us. Is this damage permanent, probably not unless the next administration follows the same practices, then the pattern has become set. Contrary to the beliefs of the Left, McCain is no GW Bush and will not represent 4 more years of the same thing. McCain may keep the principles of the Bush Admin BUT NOT THE PRACTICES. McCain's problem is that he doesn't convey that very well and the left keeps picking away. Hillary is smart enough and shrewd enough to know the realities of the game as she has had enough practice at it. However in practice Hillary is a morally bankrupt person, and will do or say anything to manipulate things to her own ends. The ends justifies the means is her motto, and that clarity of purpose is what made the Clinton's so successful. In other words they just out manipulated everybody else. Barrack Obama is a shape cookie and a quick study to be sure. One can see that on a weekly basis in his campaign. Besides the rhetoric of his campaign for "change" what is the reality of that message. If he should become President of the USA the day he steps into office he is going to face a huge amount of inertia in the government bureaucracy, political establishment and be facing all those special entrenched interests. Either he will modify his position to go along, to get along, or he will be marginalized as Jimmy Carter was back in the 1970's. The real danger is that Obama will use the bully pulpit to institute "change" that will eliminate dissent from the system by limiting it, which will then entrench the party that is in power permanently. Meaning the Democratic Party, which on face of it, the left will love. at least until the day that they don't like something that the government is doing to them. However as the campaign has progressed Barrack Obama has made choices which seem to indicate that he is going along to get along with the status quo. After all you have to prove yourself to be a reliable political operative to become president of the USA. That is how you get enough support to make it into the office.

Patrick Cullinan  05/05/2008 05:01 PM Report

Meghan O'Sullivan. Please, tell me she isn't Irish. zzzzz.

TABS  05/05/2008 04:01 PM Report

Ohhhhh lets just call her the "Green Zone Girl"

David Dzidzikashvili  05/05/2008 04:00 PM Report

Generally I think its good for Americans to try to avoid labels (Liberal vs Conservative) and try to concentrate more on compromise and communication with general public.

O'Sullivan has her agenda just like anyone else who wears blue or red label have their own political views and agendas.

mead compostion  05/05/2008 03:38 PM Report

One more academic with the right opinions put into a key role with no experience or skillset for the actual job. But I'll bet her powerpoint presentations with requisite hand gestures is quite nifty.

Rcihard T  05/05/2008 03:23 PM Report

The lefties forget that Saddam Hussein has biological weapons ready to attack us from off our own shores! Suddenly they all forget the threat he posed to us with his WMD!

I do not understand why Bush replaced Rumsfeld. He had him there for so long and should have let him finish the job!

Meghan O'Sullivan can stand proudly with Rumsfeld, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Feith and the President for the success we are bringing to Iraq.

Josef  05/05/2008 02:35 PM Report

Great interview of the gorgeous & intelligent woman who should be considered for the VP spot on the McCain ticket. We did the right thing taking down Saddam the thug and removing the clear & present WMD threat - certainly Saddam had WMD programs + had according to several credible reports had several hundred WMD (and this isn't mentioning the sarin roadside bomb cooked off in Baghdad in 2004).

Clearly, if America cuts & runs from Iraq, we will lose almost if not all credibility on Afghanistan and other major efforts for world peace. Plus, I wish the lefties would be more fair to Dr. Sullivan.

I also notice the lower rating of this video because she's a righty and the high rating of videos for lefties like Jimmy "I met with anti-Semetic, genocidal Hamas" Carter and the like. Sadly, a part of this country Annetta H. is always wearing ideological blinders and part of them just may hate this country, hate our troops and think we're the root of all evil... I find that appalling.

George DeMott  05/05/2008 02:28 PM Report

I do blame the America people for allowing our leaders to move on Iraq at the time. We the people are ultimately responsibly for the actions of our nation.

I am amazed by the people that now state what was known by the informed Americans before we attacked. I also believe that many of our leaders, that knew the truth, were cowards and did not stand strong at the time.

Dr. O'Sullivan; "lessons learned"

My belief: So much lost for our human ignorance. The information and management knowledge was already available to predict the current results. I do not feel "lessons learned" justifies or excuses what we did and it doesn't make me feel all warm inside.

Mr. Rose; "neighbors involved?" My belief: The neighbors knew better!

I did enjoy the interview, probably because it strengthens my beliefs.

I was very upset the day we attacked. My young high school daughter cried and stopped following world events. She is currently a science graduate student at an Ivy League school.

Best to all!

Bill Braun  05/05/2008 02:19 PM Report

There is no doubt that Meghan O'Sullivan is a bright, articulate, scholarly and reflective woman. My concern, however, is the organizing principle or lens she looks through when interpreting the data of her experience. Several times she invited us to visualized what the Middle East would look like had we not gone to war with Iraq. She then, confidently, stated the realities we would now face if Hussein were still in power. Given the immeasurable number of variables in the unfolding of history, how can she speak with such confidence, especially, if other means were used. Also, why did every major religious group throughout the world oppose our going to war with Iraq? What did they "see" that this administration did not "see"? The administration "sold" the war to us on the premise that Saddam Hussein was an imminent threat to the United States not that he was just a "bad guy". No one would disagree that the Middle East will never be the same because of this war and our presence. Could that not be said about any disaster?

Bill Braun

Douglas Scott Treado  05/05/2008 02:14 PM Report

Having just viewed on PBS (it's May 5, 2008) Charlie Rose's "interview" with Meghan O'Sullivan--and having read at least half of the previous comments--I can say that at least Charlie was a little more questioning (when that was possible)--

Ms. O'Sullivan seems to be a "gentler" Ann Coulter--who never seems to want to stop her carefully practiced and controlled talking, which is very much in the "apologist" mode.

Anyone involved in the Bremer period in Iraq must be considered "mad"--given their policies and the implementation of ridiculous decisions at that time. Both Bremer and O'Sullivan were "babes in the woods" on this one--just hired wonks who deserve to be roundly criticized...And we all continue to pay for it, including the more than 10,000 American dead, triple that number in American seriously maimed and wounded, tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis killed as well at the "insurgents"...

Interesting too, that Harvard and Georgetown universities have become "academic reward centers for failed diplomatic/security types" like Tenet, O"Sullivan and so many others.

All of this is idiocy. I would suggest that many of these persons be sent to Gitmo--maybe after some lengthy detention they may come to recognize their stupidity, carelessness and assorted war crimes. (Add Wolfowitz, Cheney, Perle, Rumsfeld, Woo, Gonzales and many others of the Bush oligarchy to this group. They should all be ashamed of themselves.)

However, arrogance, power and greed seem so manifest since 2000 in the Bush Administration, that I don't think it matters much to them....I really wonder about Charlie, too. Whenever is the "Press" going to ask some tough questions, and expect answers?

Annetta Harwin  05/05/2008 01:00 PM Report

I am really stunned by this whole chain of comments. I am no supporter of the war in Iraq, but I do recognize a talented person when I see one and Ms. -- I should say Dr. -- O'Sullivan certainly is one. As a person from the left, I think we should all take a look at ourselves and ask if we are not reacting so strongly to her because she came across capable and articulate - and certainly was more nuanced than any other defender of the policy I have seen. The question that stands out most in my mind is why didn't the Bush administration use her more to explain Iraq to Americans? They would have been smart to do so. I'd also question where everyone makes the assumption that she has no basis for expertise. Has anyone looked at her bio? I did, and found out she has a doctorate from Oxford and has published multiple books and articles on the Middle East while at the Brookings Institution (a left leaning think tank!). Add that to 2 years in Iraq and I am willing to admit that she has more expertise than this entire chain of commenters put together. Let's not try to destroy good people just because we don't agree with them. Shame on us.

BillyH  05/05/2008 12:25 PM Report

I'm reminded of the excellent book about Vietnam by David Halberstam, "The Best and The Brightest", about how Kennedy and LBJ surrounded themselves by the smartest most capabale people they could find. Unfortunately, they had no experience with SE Asia and their arrogance blinded themselves to the realities of the situations they were in. Meghan seesm to the heir apparent to Bundy, McNamara and the rest. Very bright, very arrogant and very wrong.....

BurningFeet  05/05/2008 09:18 AM Report

Remarkable, isn't it, that such deference can be shown to someone who has been shown concretely wrong time after time, after time? I mean, really, a founding member of the Coalition Provisional Authority?

"As supervisor of lookouts, I feel we have learned lessons learned and in future the HMS Titanic will encounter no more extreme cold water events."

And she's training future lookouts at Harvard? Oh boy.

Ferdinand Gajewski  05/05/2008 01:36 AM Report

Gen. Sanchez's memoir:

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19861.htm

Charlie  05/04/2008 11:30 PM Report

The hate that spews forth from the left in this comment page is quite amusing and completely vindicates the conservative view that liberals are truly more intolerant of other's views and only encourage free speech when it is from the left.

Yes, Iraq had many errors in judgment, but so did WWII. Did the myopic people who wrote these comments ignore Ken Burns documentary, 'The War'. My guess is they did because they were afraid to learn the truth.

Many great things have happened in Iraq as well, but we never hear about them. Even John Burns has told us that much.

That being said, Ms. O'Sullivan admitted where the administration went wrong and that takes far more courage than the Bush-haters sniping from behind their elite and fecal duck-blinds.

And, why don't the bile spewers put the blame where it belongs - there were decision makers higher up the food chain than Ms. O'Sullivan? The reason you attack her is you just lash out in all directions without thought or reason.

Regarding the criticisms of Charlie Rose's interviewing - I have always thought Charlie Rose was left of center veering to the left. Maybe he is finally wising up and becoming educated and seeing the light because he is reading the pabulum in these comments!

E. R. Kelly  05/04/2008 09:45 PM Report

When will we get to see Eliot Abrams, Bush's other expert on Iraq?

Add Ms. O'Sullivan to the show and you could title it "Beauty and the Beast"!

Pat Egan  05/04/2008 09:16 AM Report

I have been stewing over this interview for two days.I don't know which is worse: that Ms. O'Sullivan somehow achieved this mythical "experise, and was subsequently rewarded with an important academic post after getting so many things so wrong; OR how she could continue to go unchallenged in a number of continuing misses and bad guesses.

"Experts on Iraq" should all be held to their past analysis and past mistakes. Would you hire an electrician to wire your bathroom if several people had died following his other jobs? The analogy holds.

Her argument to continue assumes soldiers as fodder. Are they Charlie? Rose is of the VietNam generation and therefore should know rationalizing and justifaction when he sees it. And stupidity.

O'Sullivan made stupid mistakes. She has been awarded a Harvard position, and a softball interview. When will this madness end?

Gary T.  05/03/2008 11:04 PM Report

There is a good reason why Charlie's wife divorced him and they are still good friends. She left because he just would not shut up and listen. Now when she wants to tell him how she feels she phones him and when he will not shut up, she just hangs up. Easier than locking herself in the bathroom and crying.

A.M. Wilson  05/03/2008 09:44 PM Report

I was impressed w/ Ms. Sullivan and wishing Charlie would talk less so I could hear more of what she had to say.

John Thompson  05/03/2008 07:31 PM Report

I'm not a regular viewer of Charlie Rose's program but found his O'Sullivan interview to be shocking and enlightening. I'm not particularly concerned with Rose's politics nor preoccupied with whether he challenged her where and when he "should" have. I am convinced that this woman should be speaking all around the country saying just what she said last night. If that doesn't wake people up, we're in worse trouble than needing to switch to Bill Moyers.