[Richard Kimball]

In some ways we've changed, in others, we haven't. Truman did not run for a second term because he would not have won. He wouldn't have won because of the Korean War. MacArthur wanted to win the war, and issued an ultumatum to the Chinese to pull out or he would expand the war and attack them. Truman removed him from power for that. MacArthur, as he stepped down, gave a speech to Congress, and was interrupted by thirty standing ovations. Truman wasn't replaced by an anti-war zealot, he was replaced by a guy the citizenry thought would bring the war to a successful conclusion.

I don't think it's the fact we're at war, I think it's the fact that there hasn't been much progress (at least visible progress) in the last three years. Americans can deal with war, but they cannot deal with a war of attrition, holding patterns and occupancy.

In WWII, for example, if we had stopped in France after the Normandy invasion, and sat for three years while negotiating with Germany and trying to set up a provisional government in France, taking a few losses every day, I think the citizens would have said, "screw this, bring them home."

One lesson American presidents should learn is that if you want to keep the citizenry behind you in a war, you have to keep showing progress.

[syriacus]

One lesson American presidents should learn is that if you want to keep the citizenry behind you in a war, you have to keep showing progress.

Unfortunately, enemy body counts don't carry any weight, since the enemy is made up of "freedom fighters."