The Empty Room: Bob Herbert

[Nancy Waterman]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/09/opinion/09HERB.html

Instead of behaving as though he is responsible, as commander in chief, for the life of every man and woman who is sent into combat, Mr. Bush has behaved on more than one occasion as though he's at the controls of a video game.

Perhaps if he went to a few fewer fund-raisers and a few more funerals . . .

One of the things soldiers on the ground in Vietnam learned is that while there were many South Vietnamese who were genuinely fearful of the Communist North and were anxious to embrace the values that the U.S. stood for, it was difficult to get them to fight for their freedom with the ferocity that the Americans expected. Among other things, we underestimated the strength of the ethnic and cultural bonds that the Vietnamese felt with one another, whatever their political inclinations.

When the Americans — foreigners — with their superior technology and firepower went to work tearing up the landscape and mowing down the enemy (not to mention the so-called collateral damage of innocent South Vietnamese civilians), any chance of winning the hearts and minds of the country at large was lost.

Now we are trying to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis with an unprovoked war that began with a televised bombing campaign advertised to the world as "shock and awe," and that continues with the devastating firepower of Super Cobra helicopters and laser-guided missiles.

Thousands of innocent Iraqis have died, including small children, but we don't seem to give that much thought. And we've insisted, despite profound cultural and religious differences, that we are going to install an American-style democracy, whether the various elements of the Iraqi people want it or not. And we're going to do it fast.

[charlyvi]

1. "The Empty Room"

Reminds me of that Vietnam soldier who said "We had to destroy the village to save it". Keep telling the truth Bob Herbert!

[Skittles]

2. welcome to the DU charlyvi

:hi:

[AussieInCA]

3. arrogance 100%, humility 0%

after watching bushco's performance with the 911 investigation, how would we expect them to show some humility and accept they've made mistakes in Iraq. Every day goes by I can understand why Richard Clarke left these ideological pinheads....his fear...they don't see any of this as a mistake and they'll be off into another country without any hindsight from any of this.

[jbfam4]

4. Excellent article

"It's heartbreaking to think that brave American troops have once again been put into such an untenable situation. The president, who led us into this wholly unnecessary war, has an obligation to step up and level with the American people, to take full responsibility for the current disaster and to summon help from a genuine international coalition, which is the only feasible route to a resolution in Iraq. "

Herbert's last paragraph is true, but Bush will never step up and say he made mistakes. It was an unnecessary, imoral war based on lies.