[jclimacus]

It's interesting to note how militaristic minds find only military solutions to the world's problems.

Our loss in Viet-Nam (and I served during that period) was in large part due to the lack of morale among the troops, caused in large part because we had NO true sense of what we were fighting for ("democracy, freedom" and other propaganda flags were not enough), and NO exit strategy; much as we now have in Iraq.

You cannot expect an occupying army to continually fight a guerrilla war against a population that, in large part, DOES NOT WANT YOU IN THEIR COUNTRY!

Would Americans suffer an occupying army on their own turf? Hell NO!

We shouldn't think that people of other countries, regardless of their religious persuasion, would tolerate anything less than a removal of an occupying army AS SOON AS POSSIBLE; but we SHOULD EXPECT that they will defend their own nationalist aspirations, and quickly show us the door out of their country -- by public demonstration and BY FORCE if necessary.

No self-respecting American would do anything less to an occupying army in their own country.

[Rameumptom]

I thank you for your service in the Viet Nam era.

IMO, if we used the military tactics that were used in WWII against Germany and Japan in Viet Nam we would have won. The Germans and Japanese didn't want us on their soil but we prevailed. We did this by ruthlessly bombing their cities (full of civilians) as well as military targets. In Viet Nam we never even used our heavy bombers. This increased our loss of planes and we never fully controlled the air. Fighting a limited war is nonsensical. I don't blame the morale of the soldiers but Politicians and Pinko Hippie Liberals for losing us the war.

Again, I'm speaking as someone who did not serve in that time period.