Someone should add the year that the US presence in Vietnam ended
If you have the info, just add it yourself. Keep it accurate please though.
"..Specifically, what were the circumstances of Alito getting a coveted slot in the Army Reserves that year, while the Vietnam War was still raging? Is Alito yet another "chickenhawk" who avoided the war and now will be deciding on life-or-death cases involving our young men and women fighting in Iraq and elsewhere today?.."
This is absolutely demented! The piece continues.
"..In February 1972, the service held its draft lottery for 1973 inductions -- and Alito, in essence, lost. His birthday, April 1, came up as No. 12 that year, a certain ticket to induction, or so it seemed.
In fact, the draft class of 1973 would never be called. The U.S. involvement in Vietnam was substantially winding down in 1972, to just 49,000 troops from a high in the 1960s of more than half a million. But as Richard Nixon's Christmas bombings that year showed, no one had a crystal ball to predict the final American withdrawal at the start of 1973..."
Down to 49,000 from a high of half a million sure as hell was a good indication we were getting out.
Below is a timeline excerpt that show signifcant events in the VN War for 1972. There a lots of indications we were getting out. If Alito had enlisted and volunteered for the infantry there is no gaurantee he would have seen combat in VN at the time.
"..17-28 Feb 72 - President Nixon visits the People's Republic of China
30 Mar 72 - The North Vietnamese launch a major offensive across the DMZ, the biggest since Tet 1968. In retaliation, Nixon orders the bombing of the Hanoi and Haiphong area
15 Apr 72 - Renewed US bombing of North Vietnam above the 20th parallel
26 Apr 72 - President Nixon announced the withdrawal of 20,000 more troops
27 Apr 72 - Paris Peace talks resume
8 May 72 - Nixon orders the mining of North Vietnamese harbors without first consulting Congress
Jun 72 - Nixon announced the withdrawal of 10,000 more troops by September
17 Jun 72 - Watergate break-in and attempted bugging of the Democratic Party Headquarters
Aug 72 - Nixon announced the withdrawal of 12,000 more troops
27 Oct 72 - Nixon "pocket vetoed" the Veteran's Health Care Expansion Act of 1972. The health care act would have authorized expenditure of $85 million in FY 1973 for expanding health care services for veterans and their dependents
Oct 72 - The Supreme Court was steadfast in refusing to rule on the constitutionality of American involvement in Vietnam. As late as Oct 72, the court voted 7-2 to decline to hear a case in which taxpayers challenged the use of foreign aid funds to finance American operations in Vietnam (Sarnoff vs. Schultz) Justices Douglas and Brennan disagreed with the courts' hands-off attitude since the Constitution specifically gives Congress the power to declare war, they said, and thus "impliedly bars its exercise by the executive branch."
Dec 72 - Peace talks stopped due to a change in the Communist's position. The heaviest US bombing of North Vietnam of the war followed 18-30 Dec during Operation Linebacker II which included 129 B-52 bombers striking Hanoi.."