[neophyte]

The beginning: Vietnam

Following a meeting between President John F. Kennedy and South Vietnam envoy Nguyen Dinh Thuan, an agreement is reached for direct training and combat supervision of Vietnamese troops by U.S. instructors. South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem had earlier asked Kennedy to send additional U.S. troops to train the South Vietnamese Army. U.S. advisers had been serving in Vietnam since 1955 as part of the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group. There would be only 900 U.S. military personnel in South Vietnam at the end of 1961,

[nathangdad]

Kennedy had ample information as to the defeat of France in the region during the 1950's. He was well aware of the power, stealth, and leadership of the North Vietnamese army.

Kennedy as well as every elected member of the Senate and House should have openly debated the issues involved then voted on any further action relative to South Vietnam.

For America these undefined military foreign adventures have been one costly failure after another weakening our nation and the feeling of patriotism toward it.

[Rambo]

Eisenhower beat him by 4 years, bringing Diem to Washington and pledging our support in 1957.

[waterdog]

At only 4 years after the end of the North Korean invasion of the south (with china's help) I can't see were you might see any way to blame Eisenhower, but am amazed Bush didn't get the blame.

[murdoch]

One thing that has kept me thinking over the last 50 years has been all "what ifs?".

What if we let Berlin go?
What if we stayed away from Korea?
What if we stayed away from Nam?
What if we blinked in Cuba?
What if we stayed away from Iraq? Afghanistan after 9/11?

These were places away from our doorsteps ('cept for Cuba) right? What would the map be like today had we stayed away? What would America be today? Will we be safer? Will we have Commie Russia, China and the Muslims as friends today instead of enemies then and now?

Will they have junked and dismantled their nukes because we let them be? Will they stop sending suicide bombers and instead tolerate our being decadent "infidels"? Will we still have affordable gas today? Will they have kept us alone with our way of life and our freedom. Will they have pledged to be fair and honest with us in trade, mutual respect in ideology and culture?

Most of all, will it have ensured our peace?

Hell, I never doubted nor regretted all that we've done because it was our duty to keep the country safe. For one thing, from having nukes in our doorsteps, having oil to keep our industry churning, or to prevent those who hate and/or envy our way of life to gain strength to overwhelm us.

It's sad that many still don't understand or may have forgotten that wars today are not "conventional" anymore. I just hope they ask themselves "what if?" Maybe it's about time they do and make their own conclusions. Such is the naivete of anti-war advocates.

[Rambo]

Quote:       Originally Posted by waterdog

At only 4 years after the end of the North Korean invasion of the south (with china's help) I can't see were you might see any way to blame Eisenhower, but am amazed Bush didn't get the blame.

Blame?? I thought I was giving him credit.