Al Haig brings to mind that wonderful description of Robespierre by Will Durant, “He suffered severely from our common failing – he could not get his ego out of the way of his eyes.”

Haig isn't any dumber than a vast number of office-holders who wield power at present, including one Congressman who Mr. Ricks considers among the more "human" of that body, Johnny "we're all Georgians now" McCain.

I think Mencken had it right when he said wrote the following about the Presidency, although it could apply to any high office.

" As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron"

Oswald was an admirer of Castro's, and was in contact with pro-Castro organizations.

Most JFK conspiracy theories fail on a psychological level. It is a huge leap to say that Warren, as in Chief Justice Earl Warren of Brown vs Board of Education fame, was complicit in a coverup of the CIA or the Mafia or the Freemasons assassinating a US President and completely subverting democracy and the Constitution.

But to stop World War III? For that, these lions of the Establishment would sacrifice their integrity and sell their souls. Imagine a documented Cuban intelligence connection. A Cuban on the grassy knoll, or whatever.

If that were revealed, the American people's demand for war with Communist Cuba would have been irresistible, no matter what promises had been made in October 1962. The Soviets would have been faced with either allowing the US to overrun a Communist client state, or launching World War III.

Consider also the actions of the investigating committee in the 1970s, composed of a number of "Watergate baby" congressmen--the report was released, the evidence sealed until 2029, when Castro would be safely dead and no one would really care anymore.

I learned a lot from Gen. Haig.

As a young buck sergeant in Germany in the 70's, I did something wonderful (can't remember what), and got a lunch with him, then Supreme Allied Commander (as I recall).

My first experience with "animal magnetism" ---a person who, in your presence, looks and sounds great, but from a distance, or years later at the White House, looks like a very bizarre character.

Interesting that you should invest so much in the book.