Letters to the Editor
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A complete Vietnam War history
Whatever has been said, one item remains, these naval aviators, of which McCain was a member, were in charge of the political aspects of the Vietnam war, and they actively bombed the North even after the Congress prohibited that action. Someone should ask McCain that question, did you ever volunteer for a mission which circumvented U.S. policy restrictions?
That covers point one and possible two points of his summation of our failure in Vietnam. Certainly the Executive branch has gotten a free pass in Iraq, on that issue, since there is no effective control over the handling of the war. Second question to the Senator would address that issue. The President has had a free hand to run the war, and things are still going badly. Now what would you do? What would you do if Congress put restrictions on the war? What would you do if it was evident we were losing? (Any veteran of the Vietnam war should have an exit strategy in mind)
Thirdly the political animus of the war in Vietnam was driven by the notion of international Communism. That was deflated when North Vietnam and China fought a war after America pulled out. Is there a chance that you have misjudged the threat of Islamo Fascism? Is there a regional solution the problem?
Thirdly, I would ask John McCain; did it effect your more being a political prisoner? You were paraded through the streets, photographed. Enlisted men and ground soldiers were not put in prison camps, they were executed. Does that effect your personal view of that war?
Did America do the right thing once it was evident we could not win? Should we have tried to maintain a military prescence in Vietnam, and how would that look today?