Quote Originally Posted by Ken White View Post
Sounds like masochism to me...


NOTE: That is not to say that the politicians 'lost' the war, they did not. Nor did the Media 'lose' it for us; they didn't help but they don't have nearly as much power as they like to think. First there is no lose or win, no 'victory' or 'defeat' in any modern insurgency. Second, a satisfactory outcome was not reached because the Army fought the wrong war; took to long to get its act together though it eventually did but by the time they did, the American people and their elected pols had tired of it. It's far more complicated than that but that's the gist.
Ken,

Thanks for your thoughts! I love to hear these things from primary sources, those who lived it. I agree with your statements about there not being victory or defeat in insurgency. It seems these terms do not apply. Perhaps success is a better term. EXAMPLE: In Malaysia, the British successfully conducted a counterinsurgency. Maybe this all that can be said on these matters.

In college, I had a seminar on Vietnam, and I came away agreeing with my professor who said that it was an "unwinnable" war. His assertion was that the only path to victory was full mobilization of the military; and, because of our Cold War commitments in Eastern Europe, this was an absolute impossibility. Do you agree?

Very respectfully,

Invictus