Winning isn't everything, but 'metrics' help.

• Position: Washington Pulse - Brief Article

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld famously asked his senior advisors in October 2003 if they could come up with ways to measure the Defense Department's performance in the war on terrorism.

Although it's a valid question, the answer is, it can't be done, says Douglas Feith, the outgoing undersecretary of defense for policy. "I don't think we've gotten the complete refinement of 'metrics' that would allow you to give a mathematical response to the question the secretary raised," Feith tells...