VIETNAMIZATION - THE ROBERT W. WHITAKER ARCHIVE

VIETNAMIZATION | 2005-01-07

The Bush Administration has had some bright, shiny new ideas. One of these is to "win the hearts and minds" of the Iraqis.

I keep forgetting that it has been almost forty years since that exact same novel strategy was the one we were using in Vietnam.

Our exit strategy in Vietnam was called "Vietnamization." That meant substituting South Vietnamese soldiers for American soldiers.

The Bush Administration is going to use Iraqi troops instead of American troops.

As Joe Sobran said, if you remember things, it makes you feel very lonely.

COMMENTS (7)

#1 Bedford | 2005-01-07 19:38

Bush is maybe a naive fellow. He should tell the Iraqis behind the scenes to get their act together because the Kurds are are capable of forming a state that includes most of the Iraqi oil and the Kurds definitely would play ball in exchange for their own state. In case Don is reading here - the Forrest interview is at the scvcamp469-nbf.com/ - it is under General Forrest's views on Reconstruction. It was about no. 22 under Yahoo search of n. b. forrest.

#2 Bob Whitaker | 2005-01-08 13:38

Bedford.

Good strategy. I never thought of that. Sounds like NB Forest to me.

#3 HVDC | 2005-01-08 15:20

Bush is NOT naive. He is a "usefull idiot". We should get out of Iraq post haste and let the chips fall where they may. We were and still are pawns of the Anglo-Zionist cabal.

Stop all foreign aid, bring back all of our troops quartered overseas, release all political prisoners, end all embargos and blockades, execute for treason all members of the executive branch and congress who allowed Israel to get us into this mess.

And that's just for starters.

#4 Don | 2005-01-08 16:21

Bedford: I think H.S. was asking about the Forrest interview.

HVDC: Couldn't you take a more forthright stance? This wishy washy stuff just doesn't fly anymore.

#5 H.S. | 2005-01-09 00:13

Bedford to: Bob, I just reread N. B. Forrest's interview with the Cincinatti reporter in 1868. It's on the web. It just reminded me of Forrest's approach to winning. On "Bob's Insider's Message (reprinted to the Blog from 12/13/04)"

H.S. to Don: OK. Did that for quite awhile. Never found it reprinted, except that one line about black soldiers, everywhere.

Bedford: In case Don is reading here - the Forrest interview is at the scvcamp469-nbf.com/ - it is under General Forrest's views on Reconstruction. It was about no. 22 under Yahoo search of n. b. forrest.</blockquote>

Yes, I had used that one line quoted absolutely everywhere, and select parts of it, for internal site search on that one.

scvcamp469-nbf.com/

Thanks. OK, detailed site - 133 URLs - <a href="http://scvcamp469-nbf.com/forrestreconstructionviews.htm">http://scvcamp469-nbf.com/forrestreconstructionviews.htm</a>, and is labeled:

An Explanation of the Southern View on Reconstruction

Gen. Nathan B. Forrest speaks on Reconstruction:

40th CONGRESS - HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

EXECUTIVE DOCUMENT NO.1

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR

Chapter X, Page 193

(Special correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial)

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, Aug. 28, 1868:

Today I have enjoyed "big talks." First I met General N. B. Forrest, then General Gideon J. Pillow, and Governor Isham G. Harris.

#6 Don | 2005-01-12 19:07

<blockquote>RE: Today I have enjoyed "big talks." First I met General N. B. Forrest, then General Gideon J. Pillow, and Governor Isham G. Harris.</blockquote>

But you were not having them interpreted for you in a classroom by a brilliant modern social scientest. So I assume it just left you confused.

#7 H.S. | 2005-01-12 19:20

<blockquote>Today I have enjoyed "big talks." First I met General N. B. Forrest, then General Gideon J. Pillow, and Governor Isham G. Harris.</blockquote>

Don, that comment is acutally on that webpage, I copied it for reference; I would never have looked there for the interview he talked about.

<a href="http://scvcamp469-nbf.com/forrestreconstructionviews.htm">http://scvcamp469-nbf.com/forrestreconstructionviews.htm</a>