The subtitle of The Fog of War is "Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara." These lessons give structure to the film.

They are now on my bulletin board alongside my selections from Powell's Rules and Rumsfeld's Rules.

1. Empathize with your enemy.

2. Rationality will not save us.

3. There's something beyond one's self.

4. Maximize efficiency.

5. Proportionality should be a guideline in war.

6. Get the data.

7. Belief and seeing are both often wrong.

8. Be prepared to reexamine your reasoning.

9. In order to do good, you may have to engage in evil.

10. Never say never.

11. You can't change human nature.