Actually it really ended after he left office in disgrace. The 1973 Paris Accords didn’t exactly end the war. And it wasn’t a particularly glorious ending. And he could have ended it much earlier, but chose not to.
The Paris Peace Accords (1973) dictated that North Viet Nam wouldn’t invade the Republic of Viet Nam again. The north violated the accords in January 1975 with another massive invasion, but this time the democrats in congress decided the USA would not assist South Viet Nam. Thanks for all the American and Vietnamese dead, democrat-socialists.
Yeah, because Viet Nam was going SO well before that final invation. How long should the US have stayed there? Another 10 years? 20 years? At what point do you say “enough?” At what point is the loss of life too high to continue? Viet Nam wasn’t about helping people, it was about the ideals of Communism vs Capitalism and the so called “Domino Effect.” Viet Nam fell, but the other countries did not.
NIxon campaigned in ‘68 saying he’d end the war. Ford signed off in April of ‘75. The only “good war” is the one that never starts. Also notable that the most willing “hawks” in late 20th and early 21st century America were the ones with least to lose, most to gain through an aggressive and “preemptive defense”. Too bad the Pentagon can’t buy toys cheap at Wal Mart.
I said “wholeheartedly” before I read your comment, honest I did!
I think Korea was another war to prevent the spread of communism aka make the world safe for democracy. But I also don’t really know, just going by what I remember from high school history.
This I know – once the US starts fighting a war, whether the intentions were right or wrong at the beginning, we should fight, and fight seriously, until we WIN, period. We embarrassed ourselves in Vietnam by not just getting in there are doing the job; then we compounded that by giving up before we won. If we win the war, and if we intend to win the war, it’s equally hard to ask the first, the last, or all the soldiers in between to risk their precious blood and lives. But if we listen to the losers, shame on us, and that’s what we did in Vietnam. We should have won, and we should have done so years before the Dem’s in Congress defunded it.
michaelwme, where do you get your facts? I’ve read scores of books about WWII and have never read anything like that. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but I’d like to see your sources.Incidentally, how on Earth do you expect anyone to “overrun the US” when they are across an ocean? Or were you being funny?
Bush-Dick started two unjustified, ill-run wars, ran up the U.S. debt, tanked the economy, and then fled to his ranch in Texas. President Obama, with little help from Congress, has spent thirty months cleaning up the messes of Bush-Dick and the Republican Congresses.No one should be the last man or woman to die in Afghanistan, but the U.S. won’t be out soon. Bush-Dick’s incompetence saw to that.
sclark55: “This I know – once the US starts fighting a war, whether the intentions were right or wrong at the beginning, we should fight, and fight seriously, until we WIN, period.”
You believe that? Seriously? If we get into a war and discover we’re supporting the wrong side (or maybe that there IS no “right side”), we should keep fighting for that side, dying and killing, just to avoid embarrassment? That’s insane. In Afghanistan, what would “winning” look like? Is that even possible? The First Rule of Holes is: When you find yourself in one, stop digging. Maybe it’s time to “declare victory and get the hell out of here.”
The same folks who wanted the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are now saying “no raising the debt, make cuts”. The cuts they want are to the military and veterans’ health benefits, retirement, salaries and benefits—- but they want to keep paying or increasing payments for the weapons systems that fail them, or that have absolutely no use in today’s world.
the “military-industrial complex” short-changes those in the military, and deserves NO CUTS??
To serve (or die) honorably in a dishonorable war does not make the service (or death) dishonorable, but neither does it make the war honorable.
However, to die in a pointless war, honorably and heroically or otherwise, does make the death equally pointless. If an apology is owed to mothers who lost their children, it isn’t incumbent upon me to apologize for that truth.
The only war to actually do some good (that I know of) was the Civil War. It ended slavery, but left some unpleasant loose ends, that we are still dealing with.
allanwr almost 13 years ago
I seem to remember that one presidential candidate in the 1970’s won an election by promising that he would end the (Vietnam) war. And did.
Kvasir42 Premium Member almost 13 years ago
Actually it really ended after he left office in disgrace. The 1973 Paris Accords didn’t exactly end the war. And it wasn’t a particularly glorious ending. And he could have ended it much earlier, but chose not to.
DavidMac almost 13 years ago
The Paris Peace Accords (1973) dictated that North Viet Nam wouldn’t invade the Republic of Viet Nam again. The north violated the accords in January 1975 with another massive invasion, but this time the democrats in congress decided the USA would not assist South Viet Nam. Thanks for all the American and Vietnamese dead, democrat-socialists.
Jason Allen almost 13 years ago
Yeah, because Viet Nam was going SO well before that final invation. How long should the US have stayed there? Another 10 years? 20 years? At what point do you say “enough?” At what point is the loss of life too high to continue? Viet Nam wasn’t about helping people, it was about the ideals of Communism vs Capitalism and the so called “Domino Effect.” Viet Nam fell, but the other countries did not.
babka Premium Member almost 13 years ago
THANK YOU
Dtroutma almost 13 years ago
NIxon campaigned in ‘68 saying he’d end the war. Ford signed off in April of ‘75. The only “good war” is the one that never starts. Also notable that the most willing “hawks” in late 20th and early 21st century America were the ones with least to lose, most to gain through an aggressive and “preemptive defense”. Too bad the Pentagon can’t buy toys cheap at Wal Mart.
Kathleen Cunningham almost 13 years ago
It would be more honest to call the Defense Dept. the Department of War, as it used to be named.
Motivemagus almost 13 years ago
^Oh, they’re around, mdavis. There are a few groups – yes, liberal groups – demanding that we withdraw.
annamargaret1866 almost 13 years ago
I said “wholeheartedly” before I read your comment, honest I did!
I think Korea was another war to prevent the spread of communism aka make the world safe for democracy. But I also don’t really know, just going by what I remember from high school history.
SClark55 Premium Member almost 13 years ago
This I know – once the US starts fighting a war, whether the intentions were right or wrong at the beginning, we should fight, and fight seriously, until we WIN, period. We embarrassed ourselves in Vietnam by not just getting in there are doing the job; then we compounded that by giving up before we won. If we win the war, and if we intend to win the war, it’s equally hard to ask the first, the last, or all the soldiers in between to risk their precious blood and lives. But if we listen to the losers, shame on us, and that’s what we did in Vietnam. We should have won, and we should have done so years before the Dem’s in Congress defunded it.
progressivetexasdemocrat almost 13 years ago
“Won” or “lost” Vietnam doesn’t end until I and others close our eyes for the last time and we don’t see it all over again.
Motivemagus almost 13 years ago
michaelwme, where do you get your facts? I’ve read scores of books about WWII and have never read anything like that. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but I’d like to see your sources.Incidentally, how on Earth do you expect anyone to “overrun the US” when they are across an ocean? Or were you being funny?
BrianCrook almost 13 years ago
Bush-Dick started two unjustified, ill-run wars, ran up the U.S. debt, tanked the economy, and then fled to his ranch in Texas. President Obama, with little help from Congress, has spent thirty months cleaning up the messes of Bush-Dick and the Republican Congresses.No one should be the last man or woman to die in Afghanistan, but the U.S. won’t be out soon. Bush-Dick’s incompetence saw to that.
trixnnort almost 13 years ago
having won the nobel peace prize,obama is now going after the most -wars-t-one-time award
fritzoid Premium Member almost 13 years ago
sclark55: “This I know – once the US starts fighting a war, whether the intentions were right or wrong at the beginning, we should fight, and fight seriously, until we WIN, period.”
You believe that? Seriously? If we get into a war and discover we’re supporting the wrong side (or maybe that there IS no “right side”), we should keep fighting for that side, dying and killing, just to avoid embarrassment? That’s insane. In Afghanistan, what would “winning” look like? Is that even possible? The First Rule of Holes is: When you find yourself in one, stop digging. Maybe it’s time to “declare victory and get the hell out of here.”
Dtroutma almost 13 years ago
The same folks who wanted the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are now saying “no raising the debt, make cuts”. The cuts they want are to the military and veterans’ health benefits, retirement, salaries and benefits—- but they want to keep paying or increasing payments for the weapons systems that fail them, or that have absolutely no use in today’s world.
the “military-industrial complex” short-changes those in the military, and deserves NO CUTS??
fritzoid Premium Member almost 13 years ago
To serve (or die) honorably in a dishonorable war does not make the service (or death) dishonorable, but neither does it make the war honorable.
However, to die in a pointless war, honorably and heroically or otherwise, does make the death equally pointless. If an apology is owed to mothers who lost their children, it isn’t incumbent upon me to apologize for that truth.
DamYankee22 almost 13 years ago
The only war to actually do some good (that I know of) was the Civil War. It ended slavery, but left some unpleasant loose ends, that we are still dealing with.