In the wake of “The Afghanistan Papers,” if you want to go on a truly heartbreaking journey, read these books, in this order:
1. “A Bright Shining Lie” by Neil Sheehan
2. “Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers” by Daniel Ellsberg
3. “Vietnam: The Logic of Withdrawal” by Howard Zinn
4. “Bureaucracy Does Its Thing” by Robert W. Komer