from JTF
Successful COIN really means making a better Revolution than the insurgents can make.
Happen to agree with this - and did back in the early 60's, especially as to the Americas (Canada excepted since they are incorrigible ). Apparently, you helped to make that happen in El Sal, which is a good thing.

The question I have had in reading the various pros and cons about Vietnam - which really don't discuss it very much among the arguments for and against "conventional" vs. "non-conventional" - boils down to this: Was it feasible for us (US) to make a "better Revolution" in SVN given the politics and "governance" of the GVN, whether under Diem or the Generals ?

My perception then and now was that the GVN was FUBAR (where the R word could be any of "Recovery", "Rehabilitation" and "Rescue", etc.). So, when I read such as Krepinevich or Nagl, I tend to say "so what" - that is, assuming we did all of what they say, the South Vietnamese villagers would still have been left with bad governance by the GVN - which the North could have exploited after we left upon "successful pacification" of the South.

Maybe someone with a more optimistic view of what could have happened in SVN should talk me down.