Quote:
Originally posted by candidpublishinginc
Now I'm not one of those Anti War liberals. I think War is a necessity when it comes to defending American interests.....but I think going into Vietnam was a stretch to say it was an American interest.
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I entered the Army at a very young age during the Korean War and served two tours and I served three tours in Vietnam. I was a combatant in all of my tours and in all spent more than thirty years in the Army.
As a young kid in Korea I did not consider at all why we (the USA) were involved in Korea. I just accepted what I was told "to kill communist gooks". In Vietnam as a much older soldier and a better educated soldier, I did give some thought to why we were engaged in Vietnam, but not alot of thought, because I was a professional soldier and it was my job to do what I was trained to do.
Over the years that I have been a civilian I have given a great deal of thought as to why we (the USA) were involved in either of the wars. The best explanation that I have come up with is, it was a Polictical show of power.
I am extemely angry about how our politicians decided to conduct both wars. Both wars could have been won in a matter of months (and for those that would be concerned, without the use of nukes). So many terrible things happened, so many people died, on both sides, that was not necessary.
Our politicians should never engage our troops in combat, unless they are willing to use the full military might of the USA, and win a swift and decisive victory.
To fight a limited war, prolongs war, and ultimately costs more lives, than a full, all out brutal assault. War is brutal and criminal in nature, but to unnecessarily prolong war, for some political BS, is even more brutal and criminal.