by Kelly ThomasApril 28, 2010

(AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

To even think about talking to our President in the same sentence as Nixon is painful for me. I only do it out of enormous conviction.

Recently, when the President made a surprise visit to Afghanistan, he said all the Commander In Chief sort of stuff which reminded me of “tricky dick”. What he didn’t say was: “Have you heard the one about the two shepards who were guarding their flock when they heard rustling in the bushes. One shepard turns to the other and says, “Let’s get the flock out of here. ”

WELL, LET’S GET THE F…OUT OF AFGHANISTAN.

Is there a debate about Afghanistan or a strategy? If there is a debate, it is only whispered because it’s old news. But, if history is any teacher, at some time in the future, the war will be news again.

What fascinates me is that our involvement is talked about so matter of factly without recognizing the fact that we are in a strategy in Afghanistan that is a “forever” war. We have been there eight years.

(AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

Being there at least another eight or longer is more than a possibility. It is what the counter-insurgency is: time and more time to win the hearts and minds of the people if it is possible. For the record, I believe in the counter-insurgency model, but…

Think Vietnam. The military types hate to hear this, but, I can’t be the only one in America that sees it. Here’s the short version: Vietnam escalates. More and more troops are sent. It transforms from the Viet Cong in black pajamas to highly trained NVA(North Vietnamese Army) soldiers. It is win the hearts and minds of the people. We are in Vietnam 8 years or so based on the start date with no end in sight.

Nixon is elected President to get us out of Vietnam. He reneges on his promise. When he takes office, there’s nearly 17,000 young Americans dead. By the time we leave Vietnam, over 58,000 young Americans have gone to their just rewards. Nixon was a lying MFer!!!!

Ho Chi Minh was simply waiting us out. His only interest was Nationalism, uniting North and South. He had no plans for world domination.

( Sidebar: There’s a widespread belief, especially among Vietnam vets, that Ho’s thinking chrystalized with Jane Fonda’s visit to North Vietnam.

Ho didn’t understand our political system. Here is this renowned movie star, person of importance. She is saying that in the states, the opposition to American involvement is so fierce that the American people will force us out. I don’t know if this is the way it went down or not. Regardless, I doubt seriously if Jane could ever redeem herself with Vietvets.

For me, I simply view her as young and stupid. What it appears to me is that we were bombing the North furiously and there were rumblings that Ho was ready to negotiate, but then something happened and instead of going to the negotiating table, the wily and cagy leader vowed to fight on. What happened? Don't know. )

Meanwhile, Henry Kissinger is working on a deal. We leave Vietnam. Ho gets his wish. Ho moves South and unites the country. Here we are today, millions expended in Vietnam with all those young American lives lost. Was it worth it? A resounding “hell no” from most Vietnam vets. Not one single American life.

What makes Afghanistan worse than Vietnam is my doubt that we can truly win the hearts and minds. The factions are too immense even if we are in denial. The Tribes, the loyalties that constantly change, corruption involving money and drugs, and religious fanaticism envelop the country. The problems are endless.

In the Nam, with strong Special Operation Forces, (Green Berets), we stood a chance-a good one to fight to a standstill and at some point when Ho realized we were not leaving, he would have negotiated. But the Taliban has no reason to negotiate.

The President needs desperately to understand the lessons of Vietnam. We have to figure out how to get “the flock out of Afghanistan.” If we don’t, we are repeating Vietnam and at some point down the road, we run the real possibility of Afghanistan War Vets repeating the Vietvets mantra, "And for what? ”

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