This is another of those things I haven’t had a comment on because I just couldn’t figure out how to say what was in my head. Often vilified, Gen. Westmoreland deserved better than he got.
One of Jerry Pournelle‘s readers has handled it with elegance:
His late career is a textbook example of an honorable man placed into an impossible situation with inadequate support from ambivalent superiors.
When I was younger and knew less I hated him for what was happening in Vietnam. Now I would respect him, and reserve more of my anger for people like Robert McNamara.
That says it exactly, except he forgot to *spit* after mentioning McNamara *spit*.
A very good obituary can be found here.
(Edited to remove an incorrect reference. I should know to check my facts….)