The Aurora have been big fans of C Thomas Sowell ever since Red Dawn (WOLVERINES!!!) and it is our great pleasure to once again republish an article of his.
This is required reading for all hippies that wontonsouply toss around their hallmark ideologue commie catchphrases about Iraq in comparison to Vietnam.
I will however add my two bits and give you the donk-notes version beforehand.
Our military did not lose in Vietnam, pussies like Walter "No Means Yes, Win Means Lose" Cronkite and John "Dont Invite Over For A Game of Jenga" Kerry stateside did. Just as those today that oppose the war without offering any constructive criticism on how we can be victorious but rather brazenly root for surrender and defeat are causing us to lose Iraq politically. Cuz we sure as hell aint losing on the battlefield.
EE-Aw!!!
January 16, 2007
Another Vietnam?
By Thomas Sowell
Nothing is easier than to second-guess decisions made in wartime. Anyone who has bothered to read the history of wars knows that very few wars have been without disastrous surprises, often on both sides.
It is not that the people in charge are stupid. Too many things are unpredictable in war, despite politicians who demand timetables, as if running a war is like running a train.
We can now look at the Iraq war with hindsight, as no President or Secretary of Defense could when making decisions that had to be made. Still, it can be useful to determine with hindsight what went wrong, if only to avoid similar mistakes in the future and to see what needs to be changed in the present.
Despite all the politicians who were demanding more troops a year ago, and who have turned around and are now demanding that no more troops be sent to Iraq, the purely military aspects of the war have gone better than in most wars.
cont'd
37 comments:
This is the argument i was making in the message board section. Obviously i haven't changed my mind. I like the fact that we're sending more troops, but as i've said before we don't need them we just need to change the way we're fighting.
Many people do not compare it to Vietnam because they think it has the same military circumstances or because they think its running the same course. To *some*, the parallels are the deceptive lead up and economic motive. Their words, not mine. Further,it was also a pre-emptive strike. Many people think that the prompts for involvement in Vietnam came from deception and also economic pressures from European countries.
They compare the use of "fear the commies" with "fear the terrorists".
I myself do not call Iraq "Vietnam", and while you will accuse me of some sort of self absorption for speaking for myself (somehow when I give an opinion its because I think its all about me, wasn't that it?), I am saying that I cant defend the people who say things that have nothing to do with me, one way or another. Just myself.
I think people naturally compare all kinds of things.
IF you think Vietnam and Iraq were unjust, based on deception, utilized an unseen ambiguous enemy, lacked articulate goals and benchmarks, then naturally you will compare the two wars.And conclude that they are alike.
If you reject pieces of that, as you do- you see the comparison as silly.
Simple. Nothing to see here.
Your objection however shouldnt be about the sheer audacity to compare, and its hardly something to get righteously indignant about. Comparison is rampant among both sides.
You have compared Bush to Clinton. Coulter to Michael Moore.
Bob Dylan to the Dixie Chicks.
Get over it, its what people do.
Why dont you move on and talk about the plan, the leadership...perhaps less about the petty instruments and exercises of hypothetical criticisms?
If you think its so stupid to compare Iraq to Vietnam, fucking stop talking about it already!
Brilliant commentary!
So in other words...
"Bush lied, Kids died" and
"No blood for oil"
Yeah I saw those at the last traitor rally.
Takes more than a coat of paint to make it at thunder road.
You just hate it that EB is smarter than you ... and (it goes without saying) Sowell.
Lily, i don't think it's stupid to compare the two at all. In fact i think they're very similar in a few ways
1. we continue to win every battle
2. the traitors on the left continue to lie about it
3. the traitors in the military continue to portray it in a negative light
4. the traitors in congress are happy to twist it and use it to increase their own personal power
5. If we leave the consequences would be devastating. (even more so than vietnam because of our vital interests in the region)
Of course what the left doesn't realize, or doesn't want to face is the reality that we can either finish the job over there now, or we'll have to come back later and it will be much worse.
well that may be true anita, but i guess there's really no reason to hate you then.
was there a reason to hate me in the first place?
what's that commercial from the 60's (70's?, 80?), 'don't hate me because i'm beautiful'
NOT
Well I may not be smart, but I sure am ugly
I think you're beautiful Anita. Truly.
I also think most bloggers are way smarter than me, or I wouldn't read them. If I thought I knew more, why would I be here? Or anywhere? I would just sit home by myself with some James Joyce and a vibrator.
And...a nice Merlot instead of my Corona.
actually, i think it's truly amazing how many really smart bloggers there are out there (left, right and center) ... i think the whole blogging medium has been so very effective in allowing these exceedingly smart and creative people, who wouldn't, and couldn't probably, possibly get a forum for their ideas under normal circumstances because "the media" is so totally corrupted by money, nepotism and 'let's find the next pretty face' ism.
oh, and is your vibrator an hitachi?
oh, and eb, you and i, i think, should follow seejanemom's lead and get ourselves a couple of 'hunky husbands' ... dontcha think?
Anita I don't know anything about seejanemom, but I am kind of surprised that you think I'm single.
Nobody needs to be married just because people in society say so. What can a hunky husband do that a boyfriend can't do? Pay somebody to trim the hedges. Dont bother.
Claim you as a dependant on his taxes?
Not if the female makes more.
Nah. I think Anita needs to head on over to Sharper Image. Then download some Van Morrison.
Although Donkey its quite romantic of you to mention taxes.
We'll see how you like fighting over pensions and houses and skis and shit two years after the fact. Dont get sucked in.
hmmmm ... well, eb, no offense. i was kinda just digging at seejanemom in that comment. i find her hunky husband comments kind of odd and retrograde. (sorry seejanemom, that's just me thinking).
actually eb, i have no idea whether you are single or not. maybe you aren't. maybe you are. maybe i don't read between the lines carefully enough. not that that matters, actually.
once again, i was just joking around. sometimes when i joke people don't realize it because i can be so deadly serious at times. believe or not, i do try to lighten it up sometimes.
i have all of van morrison's cd's on my i-pod, but thanks for the recommendation.
Lets see:
"We'll see how you like fighting over pensions and houses and skis and shit two years after the fact. Dont get sucked in."
"i find her hunky husband comments kind of odd and retrograde."
I THINK I HEAR THEM CALLING YOU FOR YOUR DINNER RESERVATION... DO YOU HEAR THAT?
"BITTER PARTY OF ONE....BITTER PARTY OF ONE..."
my sisters and i came up with this idea is that all one really needs is a "man in a can" ... pull him out when you need the hedges trimmed and have to move really heavy stuff. then put him back in the can.
a product one can buy at your local crate and barrel, or ikea. or ace hardware.
bitter party of one. It took me awhile, but dang.....
You know that hurted!
Anita I do not follow seejanemom's remarks alot, I skim. So I really don't know her view on husbands. She can bat eyelashes to her little "hunkeyhue" all day for all I care. I personally dont really play like that anymore. Been there, done that.
I thought maybe you figured I must be single because I'm.. hostile. But believe it or not some men can deal.
I got lost first time I met Ruckus "offline" and cursed him out for bad directions. What does that have to do with his ass though? Not a damn thing.
You can lie to us, but you cant lie to yourself.
think you are single because you 'hostile' ????? are you kidding me ???? my oldest sister is married and she's the most hostile person i know.
Well any of us can lie. I submit that most people lie about something or other.
What specifically are you referring to now?
then again, my youngest sister is pretty hostile as well. and she's single.
THEREFORE, i think there is no empirical evidence to prove that there is a correlation between hostility and singledom.
There are similarities and differences between Iraq and Vietnam. Similiarities: both were mistakes, both based on lies,escalations that no one thinks will work.
As to all the "traitors" in the media, the Congress,the military, and the public--the penalty for treason is death. This continued liberal=traitor theme (and I am proud to have some Conservatives like Buchannan as fellow traitors) is fascist, pure and simple. And fascism is treason to everything that makes this nation America.
Well I think it depends. Some people like to break a hostile woman, if that makes sense. Some men see defiance as a challenge. And some women see being vindictive as a retort.
I got a right to be hostile, man, my people's being persecuted
Anita, lets marry Gary.
Speaking of Van Morrison.
Im going to have to remember to write a post about my plot to kidnap him someday....
d-hue, i think we've already heard about your plot to kidnap van morrison. what do they call that, 'old news' ... ??? teasin' ya.
eb, i've seen the babes gary puts on his site (they are different than the aurora-babes) ... i don't think i'd pass muster. although, i'm sure he'd enjoy the "one man two women" part.
He keeps saying he will post the story but then he never delivers. Typical man.
I dont remember what blog Gary has. I doubt he cares where I blog either. So thats settled.
Elizabeth, my blog is Covert History. The Aurora links to it. Drop by any time. Anita, anytime, anywhere.
you're on gary. but only if i can bring my hitachi vibrator.
Sure, bring all the toys you like.
Anita! I like this Gary's accommodating nature and open mind.
He has real potential!
Gary I have been to your blog, I'm just really tired lately and distracted. No offense. I will go back to it.
That how a lot of predators lure in their prey. I guess everyone wears amsk at sometime.
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