Beyond Viet Nam

During an interview, President Obama said:

                          I am probably the first president who is young enough that the Viet Nam war wasn't at the core of my development. " (He was 13 in 1975, the end of the war). "So I grew up with none of the baggage that arose out of the dispute of the Viet Nam war. I don't see this as a military vs. civilian thing like a lot of people coming out of Viet Nam did. I also don't see it as a hawk or dove situation."

Even if Obama doesn't remember Viet Nam, he has surely read about it. But its not the same thing. He has ended the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, both of which reminded  me vaguely of Viet Nam, and I remember Viet Nam. For that I am grateful.

I initially supported both wars, but now the one in Iraq seems totally senseless and wasteful, and I think many Americans agree with me. If Obama remembered Viet Nam, he might have ended both wars as soon as he entered office, too quickly and too soon. But instead he did it cautiously and wisely, and apparently, successfully, to a point.

I thought the Viet Nam war was never gonna end. I grew up with it, from fourth grade through high school, which seemed like forever. Every week on the national news, Walter Cronkite, two hundred Americans killed this week, 500 South Viet Namese, thousands of Viet Cong, or whatever, on, and on, and on... By the time it was over I had come to hate it, and to fear all wars since, worried that they too might go on, and on, and on...

...and indeed the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan did precisely that. So might future wars. Warmakers always assume that the war will be short and victorious, and they are always wrong. It even appears that our modern wars are lasting longer than ever, like professional American baseball and football games on television. More time for corporate profit.

The United Nations is our best hope for future peacekeeping. Right now it has over a hundred thousands troops stationed all over the world, in places like Africa and eastern Europe, preventing violence, keep peace, albeit tenuous peace. But its better than the alternative.

Please scroll down for the other articleds in today's issue of The Truthless Reconciler! Thanks!