They Wait For Us To Run Again (Mark Steyn On Vietnam's Cut N Run Legacy Alert)

Orange County Register ^ | 08/25/2007 | Mark Steyn

[goldstategop]

American victory in the Cold War looks inevitable in hindsight. It didn't seem that way in the Seventies. And, as Iran reminds us, the enduring legacy of the retreat from Vietnam was the emboldening of other enemies. The forces loosed in the Middle East bedevil to this day, in Iran, and in Lebanon, which Syria invaded shortly after the fall of Saigon and after its dictator had sneeringly told Henry Kissinger, "You've betrayed Vietnam. Someday you're going to sell out Taiwan. And we're going to be around when you get tired of Israel."

President Assad understood something that too many Americans didn't. Then as now, the anti-war debate is conducted as if it's only about the place you're fighting in: Vietnam is a quagmire, Iraq is a quagmire, so get out of the quagmire. Wrong. The "Vietnam war" was about Vietnam, if you had the misfortune to live in Saigon.

But if you lived in Damascus and Moscow and Havana, the Vietnam war was about America: American credibility, American purpose, American will. For our enemies today, it still is. Osama bin Laden made a bet – that, notwithstanding the T-shirt slogan, "These Colors Do Run": They ran from Vietnam, and they ran from the helicopters in the desert, and from Lebanon and Somalia – and they will run from Iraq and Afghanistan, because that is the nature of a soft, plump ersatz-superpower that coils up in the fetal position if you prick its toe. Even Republicans like Sen. John Warner seem peculiarly anxious to confirm the bin Laden characterization.

[goldstategop]

Its about American credibility, purpose and will. Our country's enemies understand the Vietnam legacy better than America's politicians do. The Cut N Crowd gives gives credence to the notion that America cannot pay a high price to defend its interests and its friends. For all our sakes, we better prove the likes of Carl Levin and John Warner wrong.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[FreedomPoster]

Steyn ping list ping.

[goldstategop]

This is the best of Steyn's column, which goes to core over the "orthodox" narrative of Vietnam as a "lost" war:

But, if you're not a self-absorbed poseur like Sulzberger, "Vietnam" is not a "tragedy" but a betrayal. The final image of the drama – the U.S. helicopters lifting off from the Embassy roof with desperate locals clinging to the undercarriage – is an image not just of defeat but of the shabby sell-outs necessary to accomplish it.

At least in Indochina, those who got it so horribly wrong – the Kerrys and Fondas and all the rest – could claim they had no idea of what would follow.

To do it all over again in the full knowledge of what followed would turn an aberration into a pattern of behavior. And as the Sirik Mataks of Baghdad face the choice between staying and dying or exile and embittered evenings in the new Iraqi émigré restaurants of London and Los Angeles, who will be America's allies in the years ahead?

The Left can claim they didn't know what would happen in Indochina. They have no such excuse for betraying America's friends again.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[hershey]

It should be clear to even the dimmest Liberal that failure in Iraq results Iranian/Syrian dominance in the Middle East and Jihad let loose everywhere to devour the world. But they have priorities, and total political control in DC is it. They think, stupidly, that if they oust republicans, they can make a deal with Islam to play nice. Bottom line? They’re traitors.

[Retief]

Mark for later reading.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

BTTT

[xzins]

Professor Bernard Lewis' dictum would be self-evident: "America is harmless as an enemy and treacherous as a friend."

This is an absolutely devastating article by Steyn.

In the future, we must fight to accomplish a combat objective, or we must know going in that we are attempting to accomplish a political objective.

To accomplish a combat objective should require of Congress a "Letter of Reprisal."

To accomplish a political objective should require a declaration of all-out, full mobilization, no-holds-barred War.

[carton253]

bump

[jmaroneps37]

We can never hear it enough: We can not allow the rat to force America to cut and run.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

Very well said! As an aside, war is ugly and people need to understand that when people want to take your life and liberty from you you must be willing to accept participating in that ‘ugliness’ if you are to defend those peope and ideals that are precious to you.

I was just talking to someone about Iwo Jima and what we did there to clear the tunnel system the Japanese had built to defend it. Over 25,000 Japanese died there in a relatively short period of time, along with over 7,000 Americans. What would our contemporary democratic party, Hollywood, and the media have said about that? I guarantee they woud have had us suing for peace and making deals with the Emperor, and the world would be a different place today.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

NEVER FORGET

.

HILLARY RODHAM’s
WILLIAM CLINTON’s
JOHN KERRY’s
BARBARA BOXER’s
JOHN KERRY’s
TED KENNEDY’s
JANE FONDA’s
TOM HAYDEN’s
JESSE JACKSON’s
RAMSEY CLARK’s (21st Century SADDAM Defense Attorney)

...active suppoort of Communist North Vietnam’s push to take over a then Free South Vietnam during the Vietnam War ..brought on for all to sadly see:

.

Pictures of a vietnamese Re-Education (SLAVE LABOR) Camp

http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1308949/posts

.

..”JOURNEY from the FALL”.. MoviePremieres = Fall of Saigon CLARITY..

http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1806248/posts

.

What price is there for the still Free (that’s US) to now pay
with these Anti-Freedom people
pushing hard for a repeat
...in a new time of war
...in a new century
...with our own Freedom
...now directly at stake
...right here at home..?

.

NEVER FORGET

.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

The one thing the LOVE Itself needs more of in this world, for GOD is LOVE,

...is more LOVE.

And that only comes when people are FREE =

.

MEL’s -PASSION- sparked by -WE WRE SOLDIERS-

http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1085111/posts

http://www.Freerepublic.com/~aloharonnie/

http://www.Freerepublic.com/~anita1/

.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

NEVER FORGET

.

This new 21st Century of ours is really all about freeing the women of the world...
...to be all that they already are in GOD’s Eyes,
...and all that they can be while here on the Earth.

And it may take a century to do.

.

NEVER FORGET

.

[kabar]

From bin Laden's 1996 fatwa entitled, ""Declaration of War against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Places."

"Few days ago the news agencies had reported that the Defence Secretary of the Crusading Americans had said that "the explosion at Riyadh and Al-Khobar had taught him one lesson: that is not to withdraw when attacked by coward terrorists".

We say to the Defence Secretary that his talk can induce a grieving mother to laughter! and shows the fears that had enshrined you all. Where was this false courage of yours when the explosion in Beirut took place on 1983 AD (1403 A.H). You were turned into scattered pits and pieces at that time; 241 mainly marines solders were killed. And where was this courage of yours when two explosions made you to leave Aden in lees than twenty four hours!

"But your most disgraceful case was in Somalia; where- after vigorous propaganda about the power of the USA and its post cold war leadership of the new world order- you moved tens of thousands of international force, including twenty eight thousands American solders into Somalia. However, when tens of your solders were killed in minor battles and one American Pilot was dragged in the streets of Mogadishu you left the area carrying disappointment, humiliation, defeat and your dead with you. Clinton appeared in front of the whole world threatening and promising revenge , but these threats were merely a preparation for withdrawal. You have been disgraced by Allah and you withdrew; the extent of your impotence and weaknesses became very clear. It was a pleasure for the "heart" of every Muslim and a remedy to the "chests" of believing nations to see you defeated in the three Islamic cities of Beirut , Aden and Mogadishu."

[pieceofthepuzzle]

Thanks for posting that. Actions have consequences and decisions have implications. Clinton’s decision then likely cost a substantial number of lives over the years since. Emboldening an enemy is like feeding bears. Eventually someone will pay the price.

[kellynla]

Just as the Viet Nam war was lost in America not Viet Nam;
the war in Iraq and/or Afghanistan will be lost in America not in Iraq and/or Afghanistan if we leave before the mission is accomplished. Unfortunately, we have people in the WH and Congress both past & present wars who have NEVER spent a day of their lives in combat. So many of the people who don’t have the guts to see this war through are the ones making the decisions. And for those who have not realized it yet, soon or later we are going to have to give the muzzies the jihad they so desperately want. And this time, we will finish the job.

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[Gritty]

[SuziQ]

This is an excellent article!! The Left is truly self-absorbed.

[SuziQ]

I’m sure many in the Left heard rumors of the atrocities committed after we started pulling out, and dismissed them a propaganda, because they were so sure of their own views. They later found out they were horribly mistaken, and millions paid for the Leftists’ hubris with their lives. As Steyn said in this article, to do so again; to repeat what was done by abandoning Vietnam, would be unconscionable

[freema]

It's about American credibility, purpose and will. Our country's enemies understand the Vietnam legacy better than America's politicians do.-goldstategop