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Vietnam is no Iraq
Boston Globe ^ | H D S Greenway

Posted on 09/24/2004 9:39:04 PM PDT by Former Military Chick

SOME MONTHS ago, before the election campaigns became heated, a distinguished British journalist called me to ask if I thought Vietnam was finally fading from the American psyche. No one would ask that question today.

Vietnam, like some creature from the black lagoon, has reached up out of the swampy past to wrap its tentacles around the election of 2004, nearly 30 years since that conflict ended in shame with helicopters lifting off from the American Embassy in Saigon.

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John Kerry deliberately based his early campaign on his Vietnam service. One can understand why. He needed to prove his credentials as a potential commander in chief in these troubled times with the United States fighting two wars and facing a terrorist threat. I am sure this tactic helped him when Democrats came to the decision that he had a better chance of being elected president than Howard Dean.

But it was always a two-edged sword. Kerry's antiwar activities after he left Vietnam were bound to cause some resentment among Vietnam vets. I suspect that much of today's culture war springs from a resentment of the long-haired, rebellious '60s. John Kerry was careful not to burn an American flag or get too close to Jane Fonda, but the antiwar protest was an anathema to some in this country and still is.

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But the real problem in this week of dredging up the '60s and '70s is that it is all a distraction from what really matters. Long articles in the nations newspapers, and Dan Rather's face on the cover of Time Magazine with six weeks to go to the general election, are sad comments on our times. George Bush will shortly have served four years as president.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: iraq; kerryiraq; vietnam
the last paragraph:
If the candidates are moving on to other issues now all, well and good. More than 120 million Americans have been born and are coming of age since that long lost war in Southeast Asia, and today an impending disaster -- potentially far worse than Vietnam -- looms in Iraq to cloud that generation's future.

Perhaps we are back where we started from.

1 posted on 09/24/2004 9:39:04 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
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To: Former Military Chick

So, you think that kerry is going to try his old tried and true on the American voters? "I stopped that war in vietnam...single-handedly....so I can stop this war in Iraq..."


2 posted on 09/24/2004 9:46:08 PM PDT by onyx eyes (............just act normal........)
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To: Former Military Chick
Perhaps we are back where we started from.

Yes, I believe we may be back where we started. But, this time, with the re-election of GWB and the death of CBS, we have a good chance for a different outcome.

3 posted on 09/24/2004 9:49:12 PM PDT by lonevoice (Vast Right Wing Pajama Party)
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To: Former Military Chick
The Globies of Boston.

Bonged out since Viet Nam.

Struggling with their lattes while demeaning fighting men.

All the while, their pompous arrogance is protected by determined Patriots.

4 posted on 09/24/2004 9:50:15 PM PDT by smoothsailing (Eagles Up !!)
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To: onyx eyes

More acurately: "I helped to lose the war in Viet Nam, I will do the same for Iraq.


5 posted on 09/24/2004 9:50:16 PM PDT by Soliton (Alone with everyone else.)
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To: Former Military Chick

We Americans can not forget Vietnam for the same reason we Southerners cannot forget the civil war. We lost.


6 posted on 09/24/2004 9:50:39 PM PDT by Ursus arctos horribilis ("It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!" Emiliano Zapata 1879-1919)
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To: smoothsailing

Well said.


7 posted on 09/24/2004 9:51:28 PM PDT by Redcoat LI ("I am the great and powerful Kerry! Look at my medals!")
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To: Soliton

yeah...that too. But see, kerry thinks its okay to lose a war as long as he is the power-player at hand. Has anyone noticed that he talks like he woulda coulda, shoulda -- done all the things that President Bush is already doing, or trying to do?


8 posted on 09/24/2004 9:54:45 PM PDT by onyx eyes (............just act normal........)
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To: Former Military Chick
Did Greenway lose anything to the war in Vietnam? I can answer that. No. Those who didn't, don't understand.

The Vietnam War will never be over. And those responsible for our retreat are demanding that we forget the war and their traitorous acts. Never. And their treason will never be forgiven no matter how many times they may ask.

9 posted on 09/24/2004 9:58:06 PM PDT by O.C. - Old Cracker (When the cracker gets old, you wind up with Old Cracker. - O.C.)
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To: Ursus arctos horribilis

Know this. We did not lose the war in Vietnam. Our soldiers were betrayed by traitors both within and without our government. We racked up an exponentially higher number of enemy kills than the enemy did on us. We did not lose the war, we were betrayed.


10 posted on 09/24/2004 10:00:46 PM PDT by O.C. - Old Cracker (When the cracker gets old, you wind up with Old Cracker. - O.C.)
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To: Former Military Chick
Liberals will never forget Vietnam. It was their greatest victory, with Watergate a close second.
11 posted on 09/24/2004 10:00:59 PM PDT by PMCarey
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To: O.C. - Old Cracker
"The Vietnam War will never be over. And those responsible for our retreat are demanding that we forget the war and their traitorous acts. Never. And their treason will never be forgiven no matter how many times they may ask."

But of course, they DON'T ask, and never will, and in fact demand praise. They don't think they did anything wrong.

12 posted on 09/24/2004 10:03:03 PM PDT by Darkwolf377
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To: Former Military Chick
and today an impending disaster -- potentially far worse than Vietnam -- looms in Iraq to cloud that generation's future.

Aha! Iraq will be the new Vietnam!

Vietnam is a cornerstone of liberal mythology, because it is a tale of how American power is both evil and useless. The Gulf War had come and gone too fast to really rouse this spectre, but now that we're in Iraq, the liberals are at a crossroads. If we succeed here, despite the naysaying, despite the hardships, and despite the parallels, well be siezing strategic territory the left has held for decades. Above all else, they must see us fail, because they stand to lose vast expanses of credibility with the American people.

13 posted on 09/24/2004 10:03:17 PM PDT by Steel Wolf (Don't make me roll initiative...!)
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To: lonevoice

There is a connection between Iraq and Vietnam and it's Kerry he undermined the effort and betrayed his soldiers in Vietnam,and is is doing the same now in Iraq why doesn't the RNC simply and plainly say that


14 posted on 09/24/2004 10:17:37 PM PDT by patriciamary
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To: patriciamary

You said, there is a connection between vietnam and Iraq and it is kerry. He undermined the effort and betrayed his soldiers in Vietnam, and is doing the same now in Iraq. Why doesnt the RNC simply and plainly say that.

I wish the RNC would plainly and simply say that. Like so many many other things that dont seem to ever get said about the dummycrat national party.


15 posted on 09/28/2004 3:36:41 PM PDT by onyx eyes (............just act normal........)
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To: Former Military Chick

watch the video....

http://newsbusters.org/node/328


16 posted on 08/25/2005 6:42:40 AM PDT by Halfmanhalfamazing (You upgraded to Linux? No, I'm not surprised your computer works properly now. Amazing, no?)
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