Anon wrote:

You served in Vietnam. Did the US declare war on North Vietnam; or, were you just being a good Nazi? Did the US declare war on North Korea in the conflict before Vietnam?  

Righteous extremists rhetoric lives on.  He forgets that the UN authorized a military defense of South Korea.  When the Soviets, being just as emotional, withdrew from the UN.  Returned only after they discovered their mistake.  Moderates learn from history before posting soundbite rhetoric.

Vietnam was a massive disaster.  A total waste of 50,000 Americans.  Starting with the only reason the US was lying even to itself.  It was a war authorized illegally.  And done only because extremists promoted their emotions - and lies.  And then other exrremists, also with contempt for America, believed it was good.

Cronkite even demonstrated the Vietnam war was wrong.  So the extremist CBS president Stanton ordered that Cronkite could no longer report on Vietnam.  Extremist using same reasoning, used here, to justify a lie.

Anyone, who is moderate (intelligent), knows how much worse that could have been.  Nixon (who was loved by anti-American right wingers) almost nuked North Vietnam. Yes.  He decided to drop nuclear bombs on North Vietnam without any authority. Because he was using Anon's invalid reasoning.  Sanity returned when virtually every college from Boston to California walked out on strike.  Nixon changed his mind.  He only wanted to be popular - being an extremists.  With contempt for the nation.  He suddenly, at the last minute, discovered that unilaterally attacking another nation without Congressional authority would harm his image.

Being an extremists, he also kept the Vietnam war going.  As he said to Kissinger, he did not want to be the first president in history to lose a war.  He was loved by extremists because that was his attitude.  Extremist use confirmation bias.

A moderate learns why unilateral and unjustified actions are wrong.  A moderate also learned that Trump tried to attack Iran in his first term.  To wag the dog.  Without any Congressional authorization.  An extremists even forgets that fact.

An extremist also forgets how many times Iran tried to restore good relations with the US.  Only to have every effort quashed by dumbest (right wing) extremists in the US.

Extremist - one who intentionally ignored facts to justify their emotions.  Deja vue Nam.  It was always obvoius.  Trump loves conflicts and wars. Anything to advance his popularity among the most easily duped.

 

Last edited by tw (6/23/2025 9:53 am)

Now to discuss what we are really dealing with.  Trump loves anything that advances only himself.  "Wag the Dog" is Trump's fascination with war.  However his people are telling him that we do not want a 'regime change'.  That translated into his staff does not want a war.  Only a 'tit for tat' military exchange.

Careful study for decades of military exchanges between Iran and the US indicates that Iran has always tempered their military replies.  By even stating, in advance (sometimes), what they were going to do.

Can Trump's advisers corral a wild stallion?  Can they keep Trump from creating a full scale war?  At this point, it looks like they are the only ones talking to him.  Apparently Trump's need to always escalate may be suppressed.  Meaning war is averted.

 

Anon: "Declaring war made no difference to you then; so, why bring up declaring war now?"
I was in the process of being drafted at the time of the Gulf of Tonkin deceptions.
I did not realize the Resolution was flawed and did not comprise a Declaration, so I invaded and attacked.
I regretted it and still do, so I bring it up.

More like Alligator Auschwitz and a lot of legal immigrants and citizens will end up there.