Another Fine Rout

 

phukettimes

Political commentary isn't my usual forte, but for the second time in my life I watch America scuttle out of a foreign policy disaster. Here are a few scattered thoughts.

America is back . . . to the 70s

In 1975, I was still in the service, stationed on an air base in South Carolina. I recall the veterans around me numbed by the televised chaos as the South Vietnamese struggled to escape their country's fall to North Vietnam. Years later, I visited Vietnam and Cambodia. Speaking to inhabitants, I learned what people endured under the communists.  Awful things. Genocide, for one.

As an interesting comparison, the U.S. congress back in the day cut off all aid to South Vietnam. Lauren Zanolli writes in History News Network: 

"Historians have directly attributed the fall of Saigon in 1975 to the cessation of American aid. Without the necessary funds, South Vietnam found it logistically and financially impossible to defeat the North Vietnamese army. Moreover, the withdrawal of aid encouraged North Vietnam to begin an effective military offensive against South Vietnam. Given the monetary and military investment in Vietnam, former Assistant Secretary of State Richard Armitage compared the American withdrawal to “a pregnant lady, abandoned by her lover to face her fate."

The cash spigot was never turned off in Afghanistan. Including Iraq, AP lists:. 

 

"Estimated amount of direct Afghanistan and Iraq war costs that the United States debt-financed as of 2020: $2 trillion.

Estimated interest costs by 2050: Up to $6.5 trillion."

A Tale of Two Armies

ARVN troops@militaryimages.net

At the very least, the South Vietnamese ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) went down fighting at Xuan Loc. I recall the battle and the last stand of General Le Minh Dao's 18th Division.

As for the 300k strong Afghan Army, ferocious when it came to shooting their NATO advisors, they forked over their weapons to the Taliban like scolded children handing over firecrackers to the cops. After twenty years of nation building, that is what our gasbag generals, greedy contractors and dim-witted politicians could produce . . . other than assurances that everything was going according to plan.

Now the Fun Starts

The Taliban are already going door to door with kill lists and shooting pilots, interpreters, and anyone else that backed the kleptocrat Ghani. Incidentally, he never struggled to escape. Ghani simply departed ahead of the crowd. Perhaps our fey elites will invite him to Aspen or Davos. With billions siphoned off in American aid the former Afghan president is, no doubt, almost as rich as the late Yasser Arafat—a man who never needed a lesson in fleecing globalist rubes.

Lessons learned?

One gets the impression that our political and military establishment are already reviewing the catastrophe. The failures are clear. They will never be repeated.

The next nation we build will have mandatory Drag Queen Story Hour.

Vromans

Our bright caring elites know what is important.

Colin Back From Combat Ops

Still in-country, Colin Wells returned to base from operations with the Strykers in Afghanistan. On Facebook, he mentioned being displeased that Hurt Locker won best picture. I've heard this view from other soldiers and marines who feel the film disses them as adrenaline junkies and violence freaks. I suppose Hurt Locker is to the war, what Slap Shot was to semi-pro hockey. Nonetheless, a sigh of relief that Colin is Okay.

Long Haul

Seven and half-hours later, I've finished another draft on story #9 for my Ten-in-Six. This one's called "Movie People," and explores the morality of eating and who ought to decide how much you have and when. I'll let 9 cool and start on 10. Getting them all written in five months will be an accomplishment. That'll leave me the sixth month to find homes for nine unsold stories. Noooo problem. -:)

And I've five more stories after that in various stages. That'll be the next stage, hopefully to include writing one story in the first person for a change. And maybe one story that isn't completely linear. And maybe one with lots of French words so the reader feels dumb, per my old faculty mentor.

Colin Clocks In For the 'Ghan

Via Facebook: Colin's finally out of Kuwait, back in the 'Ghan, heading out of Kandahar, enroute to the job site. Come back safe in July.

Books for Joe

Via Facebook: Colin Wells reads One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, still "kuwaiting" for a flight into Afghanistan. He reports he's safe, but bored.

Stopped by the gym today. Quite crowded with everyone and their new year's resolutions. By February, it'll ease up.

Update on my Ten-in-Six:
One sold (Night Chills).
One on-deck with a 1 in 3 chance of being picked for publication.
Five in various editorial slush piles. (Actually more than that. The last story I submitted went to three publications all of which allowed simultaneous submissions.)
Three more stories to finish.
(Photo: history1900s.about.com)

Kuwait For Colin

Via Facebook: Colin Wells cools his heels, awaiting a flight back to "work."