Relevance
by Frederick
Page one, New York Times. April 25, 1975 via Greg Sargent:
Ford Says Indochina War Is Finished for America
By RICHARD L. MADDEN
NEW ORLEANS, April 25 — President Ford, calling on the nation to develop an agenda for the future, declared today that the war in
IraqIndochina was finished “as far as America is concerned.”Mr. Ford urged the beginning of what he called “a great national reconciliation” and added:
“We are saddened, indeed, by events in
IraqIndochina. But these events, tragic as they are, portend neither the end of the world nor of America’s leadership in the world. Some seem to feel that if we do not succeed in everything everywhere, then we have succeeded in nothing nowhere.”…The President made his remarks in a speech to more than 4,500 members of the student body of Tulane University, who greeted his appearance and speech in the campus field house with prolonged and enthusiastic applause, particularly his comment that the war was finished as far as this nation was concerned….
“Today, American can regain the sense of pride that existed before
IraqVietnam,” Mr. Ford said.“But it cannot be achieved by refighting a war that is finished — as far as America is concerned,” he said.
I’m sorry, somehow Iraq kept creeping into that bit…but Sargent’s right, “Ford’s handling of the end of the war would seem to be one of the aspects of his Presidency that has direct relevance to our current situation,” and why the press is not addressing it is a shame and a disservice to the public.
I’ve been reading here and there on Ford’s Presidency in the last few days, specifically on the Fall of Saigon (as pictured above), and The Mayagüez Incident. I cannot speak for the people who lived through these times and can remember them as current events, but the questions, where will I be standing, what will it look like, and how will it feel, when the last helicopter takes off from the Green Zone, come to mind. That, and “How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Iraq Vietnam?”
Oh, BTW: Now, at this late date, we’re concerned with other Nation’s sovereignty.
Comments
I’m sorry, somehow Iraq kept creeping into that bit…
Amazing, that. But of course Iraq is not Vietnam, oh, no, no, no…
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(OT, from where I sit, your site has very serious style problems when viewed in Firefox 2.0.0.1, rendering (pun intended) the site completely unreadable except by selecting all text. The site appears to work fine in IE 7.0, which is what I used to leave this comment. As Firefox is more or less the gold standard for .css implementation, it might be worth your while to take a look.)
A Vatican sized Embassy and 3 permanent military bases in Iraq says the last helicopter won’t leave Iraq in your lifetime.
We’re still in Europe, Japan, and Korea…how many years now?
march march march
bomb bomb bomb
work work work
bang bang bang
enslave yourself
to mankind’s bane
march march march
onward now
in rhythmic chains
stepping now
forward once
then twice back
bomb bomb bomb
truth now split
hope gone flat
march march march
toward the tower
toward your god
work work work
this; our drum,
it must not stop!
bang bang bang
bomb bomb bomb
march march march
march march march
march march march…
Good post.
Good post, Frederick. And I don’t know where we will stand when the last troops are pulled from Iraq. I lived through the shame of Viet Nam, and never once did I feel as horrified as I do now. Our system of government worked, when it came to impeaching Nixon. Bush has made certain that our system of government doesn’t work at all any longer.
And by the way, Ms. Townsend went on to say that our failure to capture Bin Laden isn’t a failure at all, but simply a success that hasn’t happened yet. Uh-huh.
Neo-MCC! The road is back, the theme I associate with Fred. I’m back from Pittsburgh and New York, and Kerouac’s hometown where I was born too. I actually thought about your blog there. And your old theme. Not that it relates to me in any kind of way, but I’m happy to return and see the change!
I think we need to give up this surge idea, get out. The “enemy” is no longer Communism but “terror” and whether or not these efforts protect us dont matter.
Thanks Lily, I love everything that picture says from the moment I thieved it. I’m actually going to stick with this theme for a while…honest.
Speak. Okay, well it was a bit of a shock coming to the new place, nice job!
Anyway, Ford died and so did Saddam. I didn’t post on either, and I have, as I’m sure everyone does, the raw footage of Saddam dropping thru the gallows. But then, I also have all of the pics of Brittany’s “suzie” and I didn’t post them either.
I did, however, spend many hours posting on the death of James Brown, a troubled man at times, but I do believe he had peace and love for all mankind in his heart. He brought me many hours of joy, which is more than I can say for either Ford or Saddam, or even Brittany, for that matter.
I never forgave Ford for pardoning Nixon. Had he not done so, an example may have been made that might have discouraged our present admin to a large degree. When I found out the old republi-con son of a bitch disagreed with Bush back in ‘03, but chose to remain silent and toe the party line, I despised him even more. As for Saddam? Who really gives a shit?
No matter how they spin it, he’s not Bin Laden, and that’s the guy I want to see at the end of a rope.
Anyway, Happy New Year, (sigh), that phrase is so hollow. So instead, let me just say to you and all who come here, Best Wishes, Health, Happiness & Prosperity all year ’round.
d.Speak.