I am a Vietnam-era Veteran. I watched "Fog of War" this evening and I was pretty much disgusted at how the ex-Secretary of Defense uses the media to portray him as a victim instead of the war monger he really was. Feelings? Regret? Compassion? All of this is being conveyed strictly in retrospect. He had one mission and one mission only; send as many young, innocent, healthy American men, and women, as you think it will take to win that war. A war that wasn't even a damn war; it was a "Military Conflict", from beginning to end. Look at the Vietnam Memorial. That's why it's designed the way it is. War was never declared. The Memorial is below ground because it's the only military conflict we ever lost, and we are ashamed of it. It's black, because it's the only black mark on our military history. It starts with one name, gradually builds higher and higher, below ground, to it's apex, then phases smaller and smaller, until the last name, still below ground; the same way we gradually phased in to the conflict and gradually phased out of the conflict. There was no declaration at the beginning or at the end. For McNamara to come out now with this "I was a pawn in the big picture" bull is a disgrace to all the military and civilian personnel who lost their lives in that "Conflict". He should be ashamed of himself for the part he played. In the bigger picture, he would be much better off, and I'm sure he would feel much better, to cleanse his soul by apologizing to the American public; in particular the families of those that didn't come home.
These are my feelings, but I won't get the luxury of having them broadcast by "Encore" cable TV. What I will get the luxury of is going to bed at night with a clean conscience. Can McNamara do that? I don't think so.
These are my feelings, but I won't get the luxury of having them broadcast by "Encore" cable TV. What I will get the luxury of is going to bed at night with a clean conscience. Can McNamara do that? I don't think so.