OTHER "DECIDERS" FROM HISTORY......The French Generals of " The Great War "

For six years, the Bush administration has painted Mr. Bush as a "Strong Leader". They never fail to remind us that our boy George is a man who makes a decision, and never looks back. Case closed. Doubt is for pussies. Doubt is for weaklings. After all...... he is the " Decider ". Well, here's three other " Deciders "......The fellow on the left, was FRENCH GENERAL CASTLENAU. C.1916. Castlenau was a leading exponent of the "offensive spirit" which dominated French war policy until 1917. {3 years} How about that term..."offensive spirit". Pretty good huh, right out of Karl Rove's dictionary. "Offensive Spirit" meant that if one just got enough men to charge into the teeth of 300 dug-in German machine guns ....the day would be won. These guys "decided", and that was it. Several hundred thousand lives were shoveled into this decision. Being a square jawed decision maker is certainly a virtue, of that I have no doubt. But history is full of more Blunders, and just plain dumb luck, than square jawed decision makers. Now...... should I have another cup of coffee ? "Oh. fiddlely-dee ...I'll think about that tomorrow." Prints by J.F. Bouchor, official painter to the French Armies.