The Vietnam War

The Washington Post: Has a look at the policy process that lead to the Vietnam War and how the different actors down from President Johnson acted in the development of policy. In some respects this is about Afghanistan now, but one has to be careful about placing other wars in present context. This is not 1965 and the LBJ decision to send in the troops, this is 2009 and Obama already has sixty eight thousand troops in country and another forty thousand NATO troops. Also Vietnam has to been seen in the context of the Cold War and the domino theory for the region, while Afghanistan is about 9/11 and the loss of three thousand people in New York. Also the Obama Administration has stated that it is not taking troops out, also Afghanistan was the Just War of the Obama Presidential Campaign in 2008. If Obama losses Afghanistan he could lose Pakistan, a nuclear armed Pakistan in the hands of the Taliban/Al Qaeda would make Vietnam look like happy hour at your local pub. Thus in less Obama wants to be Neville Chamberlain he has no choice but to send the troops, the one lesson from Vietnam that the President should take is always tell the truth to the American voter. Read of the Day.

Afghanistan/Vietnam LESSONS for Obama

The New York Times: Has an excellent Op - Ed piece on the lessons learned form Vietnam and how they can be made to work in Afghanistan, the article states the following, "....few seem aware of the many successful changes in strategy undertaken in the later years of the conflict. " I would state that one fundamental lesson from Vietnam is that the events on the ground have to be matched by the information given by the President. Thus if Obama does follow the McChrystal recommendations he has to be frank with the US voter, if it works tell the country but if goes down the toilet also tell the voter. Its about trust at the end of the day between the President and the US voter. President Obama is a keen reader it has been stated, well he should read this article and then send the forty thousand troops as requested by McChrystal. Read of the Day for the White House.

Counting the VOTES in the US Senate - Health Care Reform

Newsweek: Reports on the vote counting in the US Senate to get health care reform through, how the important actors are Senators Snowe ( R ) and Lieberman ( I ). As stated as long as there is no public option, that abortion and gender rights are protected, VIEWS supports the basic framework of the Senate Finance Bill.

USA and UK BLAMED for attack in Iran

BBC News: Reports that the Government of Iran has blamed the USA and the UK for a terrorist attack within Iran. Beyond the spin could this be a way for the Government of Iran to back away from its agreement at Geneva to transfer its nuclear material out of Iran, one always has to think two steps ahead with Iran. I am sure the CIA and MI6 are in Iran, also the SAS but only to keep an eye on Iran's nuclear facilities, the ones that the public are not been told about, lets get real folks, its not the facilities that are public that worry me its the one's the West have limited knowledge about in the short term.

Army of Pakistan in South Waziristan

The Sunday Times: Reports that the Government of Pakistan has sent thirty thousand soldiers in to South Waziristan to clear out the Taliban and Al Qaeda. To be honest folks not holding my breath on this one, the one area you don't want to fight is the badlands of the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. As the article notes this is not the first time Pakistan has tried to clear out the threat, it never works, the Swat Valley was a success due to the fact that it was closer to Pakistan proper, at least the place had roads, communication, the fight in South Waziristan could get bogged down due to the weather, also the its a tribal area, it depends on how the tribal warlords see the fight, whats in their interest in the long term and who pays them and is not a threat to their power. Even in the time of the Empire the UK kept its nose out of this area on the whole, not place to get bogged down in a long war.

No More Troops for Afghanistan - Senator Kerry

CNN News: Reports on the opinion of the former Democratic Nominee in 2004 and Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator John Kerry. Mr Kerry has stated that sending more troops to Afghanistan would be " irresponsible " on the part of the Obama Administration. One could argue that liberals are afraid that Obama might actually send the forty thousand troops as requested by General McChrystal thus the roll out of the Biden argument and now John Kerry. If Obama follows the advice of his idiotic VP and John Kerry who is still fighting the Vietnam War in his head then Obama will lose Afghanistan to Al Qaeda and the Taliban. This is crunch time for Obama, if he goes for middle path, lets say twenty thousand new troops then the Taliban will just wait Obama out, its that simple, brave soldiers will die because Obama does not have the guts to tell his left wing to get lost. It should be noted that health care reform is important, but the life's of NATO troops is more important, if Obama does follow the weak route when it comes to Afghanistan then ever soldier that dies after that date should be on his conscience, he and no else could back them up, and if he decides not to he is as Ted Sorenson once called Joe Biden a political hypocrite and as Reagan called Biden a demagogue that mantle would also be worn by President Obama. The reason is Obama used Afghanistan as the Just War in 2008, well if he fails the troops he will be seen as a politician who uses the fear of the voter to get elected and then flushes the voter and his troops down the toilet.

The Afghan Results

The New York Times: Reports on the troubled Afghan election, due to the allegations of fraud a second round is needed, the NYT writes the following, " Mr. Karzai seems to be balking at accepting the results,..." In other words President Karzai is turning it to another Diem of South Vietnam, the Obama Administration and the West have to be careful, this move for a second round cant bee seen as a colonial demand, this would not go down well in Afghanistan. The question is what do about President Karzai, will there be another infamous August telegram that occurred in 1963 when the Kennedy Administration agreed to the toppling of the Diem regime. As JFK noted in 63 his government was falling apart due to South Vietnam, well in many ways the the Obama Administration is split over Afghanistan, VP Biden wants less troops on the ground and more attacks by drones on Pakistan, while everyone else wants to go along with the plan of General McCrystal, lets see what President Obama does, its his War after that, does he go with Biden or with the military experts.