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This is a letter from a retired military person (hero) and current member of the Pease Greeters group here in NH, written in response to Sen Harry Reid’s "the war is lost" remark. He provides a good history lesson that, if not learned, we are doomed to repeat. We must NOT allow that to happen…
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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Said the Iraq War is “Lost”
We, the members of the Portsmouth N.H. Air Terminal Greeters, thank and honor all our forces as they go to or return from Iraq. When we speak to those who are doing the fighting, we never hear a trace of the pessimism as that expressed by Senator Harry Reid..As a soldier with two tours of duty in Vietnam, I am disgusted that there are those in our governmental leadership that are attempting to repeat the disastrous mistakes of 1968..In January 1968 the Communist Forces launched their surprise Tet Offensive throughout Vietnam. The American T V coverage of the offensive made the war seem hopeless, wasteful, and most likely lost. Walter Cronkite, viewing the battle from Saigon declared the war, “un-winnable”. Later our soldiers’ actions were characterized as, “immoral”..Published memoirs, documents, and interviews made public by Hanoi, reveal an entirely different assessment of offensive. The elites in media and universities have access to all these documents. However, they have ignored even their very existence. The fact that we came close to winning the war in1968 conflicted with their left wing mind set..The losses suffered by the Communist’s Forces in their Tet Offensive of 1968 were so devastating, that Hanoi was at the brink of suing for piece. Their only hope for victory lay in what they saw on American T V. They could not win on the battle field. However, using their ideological friends in the U S they resolved to erode our political will on our city streets. This resulted in seven more years of war, 30,000 more U S deaths and defeat.
In 1973 we withdrew our few remaining forces. In 1974 congress stopped all aid to Cambodia and Vietnam. In 1975 the enemy won. The blood bath that followed consumed millions and enslavement of tens of millions, all made possible by our lovers of “peace”..Now fast forward to 2007. The “peace” advocates now look much different than they did in 1968. They have cut their hair, bathed, and dress in conservative clothing. However, most have not lost their desire “to make a difference”. Many have risen to positions of great prominence. Their values now control congress, over 90% of the mass media, the entertainment industry, and the social studies departments of all our universities..Lenin could not have wished for more. One of the “peace” protestors even went on to occupy the White House for eight years. Another almost became our 44th U S President, if the press had been able to keep his Swift Boat Comrades quiet. He said of our soldiers that they, “acted in a manner reminiscent of Genius Khan”. Hanoi must have loved him..We must learn from 1968. Our foe is fanatical and capable of enormous destruction. They must be stopped now or generations of Americans will pay a terrible price for our failure..James J. Reilley
LTC USA (RET).