Saturday, August 25, 2007
The unintended public service announcement
In his Vietnam speech the other day, President Bush chided those tempted by the 'allure of retreat.' I assume he didn't mean his generals. ... Prodded somewhat by Reader No. 1 (see updates to yesterday's stimulating and exciting 'In Vietnam, Part II'), I'm radically rethinking my thinking on President Bush's Vietnam War analogy, to wit: He unintentionally did a public service by clarifying events. By linking Iraq to Vietnam, he cemented in the American mind: A.) how seemingly intractable the situation is in Iraq B.) how the prospect of defeat is very real. C.) how the war could tragically end for hundreds of thousands of innocent people d.) how he could play the role of Eisenhower, JFK, LBJ, Nixon and Gerald Ford all in one. ... Reason "C.)" is why we should move cautiously and slowly. That's the primary reason at this point why I remain a supporter of the surge. ... Another thing I liked about the speech, in retrospect and in a way the president didn't intend, is that he's put the 'militant factions' on the right and left on the defensive. After all, who the hell wants to be associated with the dead-skunk negatives of Vietnam? ...
In his Vietnam speech the other day, President Bush chided those tempted by the 'allure of retreat.' I assume he didn't mean his generals. ... Prodded somewhat by Reader No. 1 (see updates to yesterday's stimulating and exciting 'In Vietnam, Part II'), I'm radically rethinking my thinking on President Bush's Vietnam War analogy, to wit: He unintentionally did a public service by clarifying events. By linking Iraq to Vietnam, he cemented in the American mind: A.) how seemingly intractable the situation is in Iraq B.) how the prospect of defeat is very real. C.) how the war could tragically end for hundreds of thousands of innocent people d.) how he could play the role of Eisenhower, JFK, LBJ, Nixon and Gerald Ford all in one. ... Reason "C.)" is why we should move cautiously and slowly. That's the primary reason at this point why I remain a supporter of the surge. ... Another thing I liked about the speech, in retrospect and in a way the president didn't intend, is that he's put the 'militant factions' on the right and left on the defensive. After all, who the hell wants to be associated with the dead-skunk negatives of Vietnam? ...
