Dereliction of Duty

Bob McNamara thought the Russian bomb
made total warfare wholly obsolete
a provocation of North Vietnam
could drag their patron in, and risk defeat
with Johnson in his Secretary's spell
the JCS were wounded in their pride
LeMay barked we should bomb them all to Hell
but military qualms were swept aside
had Ho and Johnson viewed the world the same
his 'Graduated Pressure" might have won
but one was uncommitted to the game
the other, wouldn't rest 'til it was done
accountants weighed each calibrated stroke
while thousands died in service to a joke