Thread: Why Terrorism Exists

Originally Posted by R.D.735

The goal of the Vietnam war was quite clear and isn't very controversial. What made the war such a foreign policy disaster was that the implementation was poor.

I totally agree.

Originally Posted by R.D.735

When it should have been clear that a military victory would require millions of innocent deaths, if it was possible at all, the war continued unabated, with little change in strategy. The political necessity of preserving a non-existent military victory took precedence over the lives of innocent people. In that sense, those who managed the war were irresponsible.

I don't think it required millions of deaths. That is just how it was fought. I don't think civilians should have ever been targetted, but they were. The idea was one of calculated war strategy, but it was a failure. I think the Vietnam War taught us a lot of major lessons on how to handle situations like that.

Originally Posted by R.D.735

Do you have any theories as to why Bush Sr. and Clinton decided not to invade Iraq?

The costs would be so high, as they presently are. War is very serious stuff. Cheney showed in an interview back then that they understood exactly what would happen. Cheney fully saw the picture that would happen. It was enough then to make them refrain. But 9/11 illustrated the seriousness and urgency of dealing with our terrorism threats, and that created the difference in the cost/benefit analysis.

By the way, for those who think the current war is completely about Haliburton revenue, you must think Dick Cheney is the most patient person who has ever lived and a fool for giving away the arguments against the decision he would be part of twelve years later.