Iraq isn't Vietnam, Henry(Max Boot)

los angeles times ^ | July 22, 2007 | Max Boot

[kellynla]

As congress debates the war in Iraq, it's becoming clear that many lawmakers want to bring the troops home while avoiding the likely consequences -- a ruinous civil war and a calamitous victory for Iran and Al Qaeda. This has led to much pining for some kind of negotiated solution -- what the Iraq Study Group called a "new diplomatic offensive" -- that might allow us a graceful exit.

Enter Henry Kissinger, the octogenarian "wise man" who is an advisor to President Bush. While rightly stressing that a "precipitate withdrawal" of U.S. forces would result in a "geopolitical calamity," he suggested in a recent syndicated column that "a sustainable political end to the conflict" can be achieved not through military action but through "wise and determined American diplomacy" that engages everyone from internal Iraqi players to Iran and Indonesia.

He didn't mention it in the column, but there is little doubt that Kissinger had in mind his own actions in negotiating the 1973 Paris peace accords that ended direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War. Indeed, some of his previous essays -- including one that ran in this paper in May -- have been explicit in citing his own experience as a model to learn from.

How seriously should we take him? Is it really possible that a super-skilled secretary of State -- someone like, umm, Henry Kissinger -- could deliver "peace with honor" today? It didn't work the last time around. Why should it work now?

[kellynla]

ping

[golfisnr1]

Kissinger is over the Hill.

[ExTexasRedhead]

IMO, if we cut and run again, America will look like a paper tiger and all our enemies will come knocking guaranteeing another 9/11. At some point, the American people are going to have to face the reality that we, the American people, are at war with extremist that want to destroy our way of life. Iraq or no Iraq that fact will not change.

[RDTF]

well said!

[ClaireSolt]

How doe we negotiate with people who are hiding? Which cave do we go to? Tell me and I’ll send a hellfire missle. LOL

[muawiyah]

Henry tried, but he taught us a good lesson. That is that some parties to a negotiation are skilled liars and have no intention of adhering to any bargains.

Those are the guys atom bombs are made for.

Flip a couple of thousand giga-metatons at 'em and the next guys down the line will negotiate on request.

Short of that, an intransigent enemy is an intransigent enemy.

I think the Democrats inability to understand this comes from acute braindamage caused by too much dope as well as Twinky poisoning.

THere's no other way they could be so stupid.

[windsorknot]

The Iraq war defeatists and appeasers are doing all they can to turn Iraq into a Vietnam.

[Kid Shelleen]

Iraq is not Vietnam but it will become Cambodia if the Dems get their way.

[neverdem]

bttt

[jazusamo]

Bump!

[freema]

He didn't mention it in the column, but there is little doubt that Kissinger had in mind his own actions in negotiating the 1973 Paris peace accords that ended direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War.

Survivor's Guilt

[bray]

Hey Kissassenger, go polish your Peace Prize that cost 2 million SE Asian lives.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[dk/coro]

Kissinger is over the Hill.”

Kind sir, I submit that Henry Kissinger has probably done more damage to the Republic than any 10 other State and NSC misfits.

This power-mad megalomaniacal control freak so isolated the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs in 1972 — during the Paris Peace talks vis Viet Nam — that Admiral Tom Moorer (my old boss, just prior), the CJCS, had to acquiesce to the pilfering of Kissinger’s briefcases by a “black operation” to ensure that the Military Services were appropriately aware of commitments Kissinger made to to the North Vietnamese.

As an aside, the operation was found out, but The Chairman was so well respected — and Nixon was so neutered by Watergate — that he survived unscathed!

(This stor is absolutely true -- and a bit more complicated than set forth herein, but it has been validated by a number of credible sources over the years.) That is the Kissinger I knew. Pox on the bum! He has grossly and consistently ill-served our Republic’s best interests.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

Long ago Sen. TED KENNEDY’s pushing a post-WATERGATE Congress into cutting off all our funding for the then Free South Vietnamese to fight for their own Freedom with =

Pictures of a vietnamese Re-Education (SLAVE LABOR) Camp

http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1308949/posts

..”JOURNEY from the FALL”.. MoviePremieres = Fall of Saigon CLARITY..

http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1806248/posts

.

What Price for the still Free (that’s US) to pay this time around, I wonder..?

.

[JoinJuniorAchievement]

. At some point, the American people are going to have to face the reality that we, the American people, are at war with extremist that want to destroy our way of life. Iraq or no Iraq that fact will not change.

We have to declare war and name names then fight it to win.
The current strategy is not working.

[Mad_as_heck]

At some point, the American people are going to have to face the reality that we, the American people, are at war with extremist that want to destroy our way of life.

Christopher Hitchens is right: Our greatest asset in this war is that our enemies are not appeasable. Sooner or later we will be forced out of our slumber. The only question: How many of our innocents will need to die first.

[Humble Servant]

I can’t help but remember that Kissinger’s “Peace With Honor” cost about three million Southeast Asians their lives after we left.

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed.

[crazydad]

Thank you. Very much. Lets see how many Iraqis die if we leave...And just sit back and say “We told you so”. Liberal yellow BASTARDS!

[LjubivojeRadosavljevic]

Christopher Hitchens is right:...

Hitchens also argues that Kissinger is a war criminal. Is he right about that?