Presidential Campaign Pandering... Or,
Submitted by bizgrrl on Tue, 2008/05/13 - 8:07am

is what Obama said true?

At a time when we're facing the largest homecoming since the Second World War," Obama said of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, "the true test of our patriotism is whether we will serve our returning heroes as well as they've served us."

Just a quick Google search on the Vietnam war:

1968. U.S. strength in South Vietnam totaled more than 500,000 by early 1968.

President Nixon announced the reduction of the U.S. military presence in South Vietnam which would be demonstrated initially by the withdrawal of 25,000 troops by 31 August 1969

April, 1969. American troop strength had peaked at 543,400 in April 1969 but dropped to 505,500 by mid October

November, 1971. By early November, U.S. troop totals dropped to 191,000, the lowest level since December 1965.

January, February, March, 1972. U.S. troop strength in Vietnam dropped to 136,500 by 31 January 1972, to 119,600 by 29 February, and then to 95,500 by the end of March.

What if I Googled the Korean War?

Etc., etc., etc....

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bizgrrl's picture

Of course, I admit I'm a

Submitted by bizgrrl on Tue, 2008/05/13 - 8:11am.

Of course, I admit I'm a little touchy about those who forget Vietnam and our troops who fought valiantly and died in that war.

Hayduke's picture

Valiance is overrated

Submitted by Hayduke on Tue, 2008/05/13 - 9:40am.

So it's OK to forget the troops sent there against their will who hunkered down and just tried to get home alive? Or the ones defending their country against yet another wave of foreign invaders? Valiance is overrated. War just bites.

Richard McLaughlin's picture

Vietnam

Submitted by Richard McLaughlin (not verified) on Tue, 2008/05/13 - 8:32am.

Like the present situation, we had a lot of troops in VietNam. When the US decided to pull out of Nam we stopped sending in as many replacements - I don't remember the real numbers, but 100 men would leave and 50 replacements would be sent in. We replace large units with smaller units. If we leave the Afgan and Iraq I hope we do it in one quick motion instead of a drawn out blood bath.

Also, your dates are off about Nam. The US was fighting WITH the Viet people against the Japanese until the end of the war. World War II, that is.

Then in September of 1945 the OSS (later closed and reopened as the CIA) sent in 7 officers, led by Lieutenant Colonel A. Peter Dewey, to liberate Allied war prisoners. On 26 September, 1945 Lieutenant Colonel Dewey was killed in Saigon, the first American to be killed in Vietnam by the Viets.

The US had troops in with the French until they lost in 1954 and had to pull out, and the US was on the point of dropping a Nuke to save the French.

We had combat troops in that country from 1943 until today. Some are still buried there.

Sean_Braisted's picture

I don't think its pandering,

Submitted by Sean_Braisted on Tue, 2008/05/13 - 2:37pm.

I don't think its pandering, just sounds like he made a mistake (well, he and his speechwriter).

It was one time, late at night, after a long day of campaigning... ;-)

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