I was 18 in 1971, maybe a few more years into the dissillusionment with the war in Viet Nam than John Kerry but I tell you this, I consider anyone who allowed themselves to be sent to Viet Nam a dupe. So as far as the war goes George Bush was smarter than John Kerry. But that doesn't mean I would support his domestic agenda now. I grew up witha jingoist dad who I admired for his service in WW2. I played army every day as a kid and believed I lived in the greatest country on earth. But it didn't take much intellectual enlightenment to understand that our efforts in Viet Nam were a total waste of patriotism. The government of Viet Nam was corrupt, there was no popular support among the people, the North Viet Namese were being supported by two super powers that had the tactical advantage of proximity, the forces of the United States were not going to be allowed to fight to win because winning and losing in Viet Nam was not worth the political danger of starting WW3 i.e. invading North Viet Nam. Hell, Lyndon Johnson knew we were going to lose in 1965. So let's drop this silly **** and talk about where we're going now!
I don't think there is a problem debating Kerry's Viet Nam service. There is a problem lying about it, or people who weren't there speaking about it.
Read an interesting editorial over the weekend. It suggested that Camp Kerry is just as happy to be discussing Vietnam as Bush and Co. Afterall, they are still too timid to come out against the war. Says he'd a done it too...with the predictable caveats that he wouldn't have messed it up. He's too scared to come out 'weak' on terror. By Kerry's skirting of the issue, those of us against the war can pin the blame on George...without having to admiT Johnny says he'd have done the same thing. Same as it ever was.
