Max Cleland

with Max Cleland
in Books
on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 * * * * *

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Vietnam Veteran, Former U.S. Senator and former head of the Veterans Administration, Max Cleland, shares his views on Afghanistan

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Vietnam
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Max Cleland

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    1. REMant  01/13/2010 02:46 AM Report

      Simply, I agree, but I suspect with Engel that al Qaeda or Taliban, like the NLF, has been spreading out, and I have never believed it to be that much of a threat in the first place. Certainly as a matter of benefit-cost that's the case. Nevertheless, I am sure that the president will get away with a counter-insurgency mission in Afghanistan, authorized or not, and I doubt even with Pelosi agin it, there would be enough votes to overrule him. If as a result, the esteemed members of Congress had to serve there, or even the majority of their constituents, I'm sure the question would be viewed differently. We really need to get back to the Constitution here, but like fiscal responsibility, campaign reform, the environment and a host of other public issues, it seems to be in no one's interest, and it won't be as long as the country can be run on credit thus bypassing the people. I feel confident that his is the attitude of nearly every Vietnam vet. Like LBJ's 1965 decision, I am sure also that it will be this administration's defining moment, not health care, nor stimulus bills, etc.

      I also served with the 1st Cavalry Div, tho later. The "Air Cav" broke the siege of Khe Sanh, one of their finest achievements, often forgotten in the telling, particularly by Marines, but it was by no means the only one. As I wrote a few days ago, they were responsible for saving the situation in 1965, and, I believe, along with other units engaged in interdiction played the major role in stabilizing the country by 1971. Fortunately (or, I suppose, unfortunately depending on your point-of-view), when Abrams, like McChrystal, tried to revert to counter-insurgency and "Vietnamization" he did not end such efforts or we would have lost long before 1975. I think Karnow's 1983 Vietnam series was last shown, nationally at least, in an edited form in 1997, and it might be well if public broadcasting undertook to show it again rather than showing anti-Nazi propaganda, tales of the British monarchy, and the like.