Nixon's Vietnam War

Porphyrogenitus ^ | February 15, 2004 | Porphyrogenitus

[optimistically_conservative]

I'm not old enough to remember, though I was alive when it was said, but Bob Dole's quip about "Democrat Wars" during a debate in the '76 election campaign has gone down in the history of politics as a revealing moment of ignominy (rightly so - it was a crass and stupid remark).

So what to make of Kerry's repeated references to the Vietnam War as "Nixon's Vietnam War", repeated again in tonight's Democratic debate in Wisconsin?

Obviously, not so much. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. Depending on political affiliation. Kerry also described anti-Communist efforts in the '80s as "Reagan's illegal war" in Central America. I'm not sure the people of Nicaragua agree with the disdain and contempt that Democrats still have for efforts on behalf of liberty, freedom, and democracy. But that's not really in the same league as describing Vietnam as "Nixon's war", which is ahistorical to the point of Orwellian Newspeak. Either that or Kerry means that his position on whether to support a war or not depends not on the merits or demerits of the policy, but purely partisanship based on whether the occupant of the White House has a "D" or an "R" behind their name.

Neither possibility is very elevating.

[stylin19a]

Kerry like LBJ's Vietnam but not Nixon's Vietnam.

[republicanwizard]

He is such a liar.

[SwinneySwitch]

There he goes again.

[Ron in Acreage]

Kennedy started it, LBJ continued it and Nixon ended it. Case closed. I would bet 75% of college age kids, and adults for that matter,believe Nixon started the war.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Well, nixon severely escalated it in order to force the NVA and Viet-Cong to the bargaining table. That's what the dirty hippies were so upset about, that Nixon wanted to end the war while saving face.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Bombing in Cambodia didn't help any.

[cripplecreek]

EXACTLY! Nixon escelated the bombing as we began withdrawing ground forces. The left as usual was more concerned for the other team than our own guys.

[optimistically_conservative]

You're channeling my hero!

[Jackson Brown]

LBJ was president from 1963-1969

From Kerry Bio --
John Kerry enlisted in the Navy in February 1966.

In December 1967 Ensign Kerry was assigned to the frigate U.S.S. Gridley; after five months of service in the Pacific, with a brief stop in Vietnam, he returned to the United States and underwent training to command a Swift boat, a small craft deployed in Vietnam's rivers.
This is what they refer to as his FIRST "tour in Nam"...sheesh!

In June 1968 Kerry was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade), and by the end of that year he was back in Vietnam, where he commanded, over time, two Swift boats.

He left the service in 1969 -- the last year of Johnson Administration.

KERRY was NEVER in the Vietnam under Nixon....period.

[AgThorn]

I didn't here the debates, but heard that reference to "Nixon's Vietnam War" by some caller this weekend on PBS television where the guy shows newsclippings and has random nobody's on the phone to talk about it.

The reference upset me then and now if Kerry is using it, I am really upset ... this is a simple disregard for History, facts, knowledge, desire for the truth, etc. But then, that's why we call them Demoncrats, ain't it. Hypocrites all.

[montag813]

Kennedy started it, LBJ continued it and Nixon ended it

Nixon won the ground war. Traitors like John Kerry ensured that we lost it at the negotiating table.

[optimistically_conservative]

That's what the dirty hippies were so upset about...

Yeah, attacking the environment really pissed them off.

[Tribune7]

If I remember it right, U.S. troops in Vietnam peaked in the first or second month of Nixon's first term then started dropping. The escalation of troops occurred during Johnson's administrations.

[Schattie]

I'm rather torn over Nixon. On the one hand he was a cold-warrior. On the other hand he gave us affirmative action, stagflation, price controls, Watergate, the EPA, detente and he took us off the gold standard.

I suppose he invented "stragery". Heh.

[gov_bean_ counter]

A North Vietnamese General wrote in his memoirs that they would have lost if not for the efforts of groups like John Kerry. What amazes me is this prospective president and alleged war hero doesn't understand squat about the negative psychological impact of anti-war demonstrations like the ones he mounted against Vietnam and the one he wages against Iraqi. They depress moral and embolden our enemies. He is an idiot.

[Jackson Brown]

""now if Kerry is using it, I am really upset ...""

Well, he did. I saw him in one of his speeches after winning either the NH or the Iowa primary say:

"...and I protested Richard Nixon's war"

[Azzurri]

So what to make of Kerry's repeated references to the Vietnam War as "Nixon's Vietnam War", repeated again in tonight's Democratic debate in Wisconsin?

I attribute it to Kerry being an @--hole. The Democrats have become the most pathetic bunch of liars. It would be funny if they didn't have a solid base of 43% idiots who lap this stuff up and believe it and hoot and holler with delight when cr@p such as this is spewed.

[inquest]

No, he understands quite well.

[weegee]

John FTA Kerry is either a self-confessed unindicted war criminal or else a traitor who gave false testimony before Congress in a time of war. Let's keep talking about Vietnam, John Boy.