Misblog

Those who think Congress and the Executive are doing something new in Iraq might enjoy a couple excerpts from the Congressional Record, 1964 Vietnam War era.

Here is testimony given by then Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, quoting himself in his book In Retrospect:

Feb 17, 1964 before House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee:

“Military capability alone cannot solve all of the problems in Vietnam or for that matter, in many other areas of the world.”

“The kind of war now going on in Vietnam can only be won by the Vietnamese people themselves. Among the conditions required to win such a war is a strong, stable, and effective government which has the full loyalty and support of the people.” --In Retrospect, page 110--

July 22, 1964 before Senate Appropriation Committee:

“The primary problem in South Vietnam is not a military problem. The primary problem is a political and economic problem. Unless we can introduce political and economic stability in that country, there is not any possibility of a military solution.” --In Retrospect, page 110--

Sound familiar? You'll remember our troops did not leave Vietnam until almost a decade later, in 1973!

Link to Misblog's:

• The Iraq Debacle Update-20
• The Iraq Debacle Update-19
• The Iraq Debacle Update-18
• The Iraq Debacle Update-17
• The Iraq Debacle Update-16
• The Iraq Debacle Update-15
• The Iraq Debacle Update-14
• The Iraq Debacle Update-13
• The Iraq Debacle Update-12
• The Iraq Debacle Update-11
• The Iraq Debacle Update-10
• The Iraq Debacle Update-9
• The Iraq Debacle Update-8
• The Iraq Debacle Update-7
• The Iraq Debacle Update-6
• The Iraq Debacle Update-5
• The Iraq Debacle Update-4
• The Iraq Debacle Update-3
• The Iraq Debacle Update-2
• The Iraq Debacle Update-1
• The Iraq Debacle

Technorati Tags:iraq, vietnam, robert mcnamara, books, in retrospect