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November 13, 2006
Breaking the Faith
Dr. Jerry Pournelle has something fairly important regarding comparisons between Viet Nam and Iraq. See it HERE.
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Note that this was in 1972, and it was an invasion from the North, not some kind of insurgency or guerrilla warfare or civil war. This was flat out invasion by World War II sized forces, equipped with Soviet trucks and armor and ammunition; and the result was total defeat for the North (many fewer than 50,000 of those sent south ever got home again) and a total VICTORY for the United States and our South Vietnamese allies. Why would anyone call this a defeat for the United States? Because, of course, in 1975 the North did it again. Not an insurgency, not a guerrilla war, not a civil war, but a flat out invasion by more than 12 divisions, a World War II sized operation; and this time, instead of supporting our South Vietnamese allies, the United States, on orders from the Congress of the United States, did not give any air support and limited our materiel aid to twenty (20) cartridges and two (2) hand grenades for each South Vietnamese soldier. South Viet Nam accordingly fell, the United States bugged out with the pathetic scenes of escapes from the roof of the embassy and pushing helicopters off the decks of carriers to make room for incoming. We bugged out, and the Reeducation Camps, Boat People, Killing Fields, and other horrors began. But we were not defeated. We withdrew on orders from the Congress. That wasn't defeat. The last time we engaged in Viet Nam we, without our South Vietnamese allies, won a great victory. Breaking an alliance with phased withdrawal is not defeat. It only feels that way. Perhaps it ought to feel that way -- but our troops were ready to engage the advancing North Vietnamese armored divisions. They didn't cut and run. They were ordered to stand down and watch the slaughter of their former allies and friends and soldiers they had trained. |
Dr. Pournelle has, somewhere on his site, a complete essay on the Viet Nam War, and what it did to North Viet Nam (who were the aggressors) and to the USSR's economy, and how THAT hastened the end of the Cold War.
Currently, the situation in Iraq is remarkably like the situation in Viet Nam in the late 1950's and early 1960's. The Sunni and Shia terrorists are being supported by their sponsors in "safe havens" in Syria and Iraq.
IF we can get the Iraqi Army trained up and thinking of themselves as the IRAQI Army, and get the police forces trained up and thinking of themselves as the POLICE, and neither one thinking of themselves as Shia Army/Police or Sunni Army/Police, then there MIGHT be a chance that this will work - but it will take time.
Unfortunately, while the current administration understands this, and the incoming House & Senate majority understands this, the incoming House & Senate majority is perfectly willing to do exactly what they did in 1975 - just so's they can look good to their "base".
And whatever credibility America has managed to build up since 1975 is going to be flushed down the drain. Again.
Just... Damn. All the effort, all the sacrifice by OUR soldiers is going to be thrown away. Again.
Posted by ward at November 13, 2006 11:17 PM