Nixon 1969 vs. Bush 2005

[Roland99]

Pres. Nixon, Nov. 3, 1969:

We have adopted a plan which we have worked out in cooperation with the South Vietnamese for the complete withdrawal of all U.S. combat ground forces, and their replacement by South Vietnamese forces on an orderly scheduled timetable. This withdrawal will be made from strength and not from weakness. As South Vietnamese forces become stronger, the rate of American withdrawal can become greater.

Pres. Bush, June 28, 2005:

As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down.

'nuff said?

[jimshoes]

1. Same song

different verse.

[Demeter]

2. A Lot Louder, and A Lot Worse!

[Chipper Chat]

3. Translation:

Nixon 1969:
We have adopted a plan...due to the fuckin Tet Offensive..... our withdrawal is necessary.

Bush 2005:
As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down...and if you murcan suckers believe this you're stupider than I am.

[NoPasaran]

4. The difference being

Nixon actually did build up a South Vietnamese army and withdrew AMerican ground forces. At the same time he negotiated with the North Vietnamese, leading to the Paris Peace Accords in 1973/

[Roland99]

5. Yeah but he also ordered Cambodia invaded the following year.

[NoPasaran]

6. Well, I'm no friend of Nixon

But I think that he did actually have a strategy for leaving Vietnam, he executed that strategy, and in the end the US actually was out of Vietnam. It's fair game to discuss and disagree with what Nixon/Kissinger did, but I don't think one can fairly argue that there was no plan. That is in contrast to Bush's "Mess O'Potamia", where historians have been revealing planning was actually discouraged, if not outright forbidden at the beginning and the ongoing "strategy" seems to be hoping we will one day wake up and find the Democracy Fairy has magically fixed everything overnight.