In Vietnam, Bush Talks About Iraq

Says War's Lesson Is That It'll Take Time For Freedom To Trump Hatred

(CBS/AP)  Mr. Bush's limousine took him along Truc Bach lake, where then-Lt. Cmdr. John McCain, now a Republican senator from Arizona, was captured after parachuting from his damaged warplane. McCain spent more than five years as a prisoner of war.

"He suffered a lot as a result of his imprisonment, and yet we passed the place where he was literally saved, in one way, by the people pulling him out," President Bush said. He was talking with reporters after meeting with Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, a staunch partner in Iraq.

Mr. Bush was to pay a visit Saturday to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, charged with recovering and identifying the remains of Americans who were killed in action but never brought home. With personnel in Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Hawaii, the command identifies about six MIAs each month.

Reflecting on his visit, Mr. Bush said that "my first reaction is history has a long march to it, and that societies change and relationships can constantly be altered to the good."

There were bronze busts of Ho Chi Minh, the North's revolutionary communist leader, as President Bush met with the Vietnamese president, the prime minister, and the general secretary of the Communist Party. But there also were signs of change and Vietnam's quest to replace poverty with prosperity.

Nong Duc Manh, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, was quoted by the White House as telling Mr. ush that his country wanted to "put aside the past and look forward to the future."

Facing resistance in Congress, Mr. Bush was unable to deliver promised normalized trade benefits to Vietnam but said he was confident they would eventually win approval.

Nearly two weeks after elections at home that brought heavy Republican losses and a rebuke on the Iraq war, President Bush discussed the possibility of a new approach with Howard.

"I assured John that any repositioning of troops, if that's what we choose to do, will be done in close consultation with John and his government. But I also assured him that we're not leaving until this job is done, until Iraq can govern, sustain and defend itself."

Mr. Bush said the embattled government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki "is going to make it unless the coalition leaves before they have a chance to make it. And that's why I assured the prime minister we'll get the job done."

Howard said a premature withdrawal of troops "would be a catastrophic defeat for our cause, not only in the Middle East, but it would embolden terrorists in that region and it would embolden terrorism in countries like Indonesia."

[stick130]

BushRocks;
Those of you Right Wing Fascist don't want to bring up the reason Bush gave for attacking Iraq. Remember WMD's ? Mushroom clouds ? Does that get your brain "jump started" Now you want to change the reason to go to War again. Bush changes his reason for going to war as often as I change my socks. How many different stories do ya need to hear before ya believe it to be a lie?

[bushrocks1]

Would I send my son to this war? You might ask would I send him to WW II? Or Vietnam? Maybe you would distinguish those conflicts and whether you would send your son to fight in them. But that question is misdirected in a very important way: I can't command my son to go to war. He has to make that choice. So the better question would be: would I volunteer to fight in Iraq, WW II, Vietnam? Would I volunteer to fight in any war? Respond if drafted? I don%u2019t know. I'm not equivocating, only addressing that it is a hypothetical. As a hypothetical, I can say, sure I'd fight. But I have nightmares of battle (from my past life as a Jacobite). So how do I feel toward those who do volunteer? Impressed but maturely knowing that many things go into their decision. But I do strongly believe that a country who can't find those men is doomed. The fact that we can find them is one reason why I say there is no failure in Iraq. Objectively, I also believe it for other reasons. An attempt to establish democracy in the Middle East is a bold, brilliant, noble effort, facing a high chance of failure. That's why I greatly respect and admire those who have made the attempt--the Bush administration. They have been resolute, something I have not seen in my lifetime. They may not succeed, for reasons outside their control or fault: traitors on the home front, being a big one. But now those traitors have apparently occupied the high ground. Yet... we're still in Iraq. Why?... I'm waiting.

[tinker3478]

Wonder how much we could save in human life and money if we paid them to put him in a tiger cage for 4-5 years?

[lochlan-2009]

There was a column here in cbs opinion that was questioning whether or not the current Administration was trying to get people to vote the Dems. into power. You have Bush's comments before and after the elections, Cheney saying all he was going to do on election day was go hunting, now you have Bush going to VIETNAM!!! My only guess... the only way to make money (to literally force the working class to pay) is to change the field so that what once was the worst possible investment quickly becomes the best and what was the best becomes the worst. The best way to do this is to switch the powers that be, as has happened, and make sure your money is already with the companies that are going to be favorable with the new boss and "sell short and long" with the old boss.
People, realize the voice of the powerful is the media, they mobilize (i.e. brainwash) the people as if sheparding the heard. It is very dangerous for the working class to put all the power on one side and this should be seriously considered before we think of putting a Dem. in the Whitehouse while they have complete control of both houses. Just be careful people, and ask yourself why a president who's war has been compared to Vietnam several million times, has now given the opportunity for every individual in the world to make that same accusation and comparison.

[mh4cbs1]

I'm glad Bush went to Vietnam. He can see how successful the Vietnam War was. Even though we were defeated, it was only after we bombed them into the sone age, and killed over one million. So they were no threat to us after we got done with them!!

Of course he didn't tell them the real reason we are in Iraq ( Oil. DUH!) Bush says we will be successful if we don't cut and run, like we did in Vietnam. Do you think it matters if a few thousand troops get killed, or a few hundred thousand Iraqis? More people than that die of disease or starvation every month or two. So whats the big deal, stop your liberal whinning. Liberals have no stomach for War, just like Cheney said.

Bush and Cheney know that only suckers go into the military (they weren't about to go fight Vietnam in the 60's! -- not like sucker Kerry who could have gotten himself killed, and almost did). So let the suckers fight in Iraq for as long as it takes. We aren't leaving till we have control of the Oil - true success.

- NeoCons for World Dominantion! (read our PNAC papers and join the NeoCons for a new world order).

[joeshields56]

Mr. Bush said that "my first reaction is history has a long march to it, and that societies change and relationships can constantly be altered to the good."

Right... but history would have marched forward a lot more easily without all of the death and destruction we unleashed in Viet Nam. For sure it would have, for all the families both here and in Viet Nam who lost loved ones.

Too bad we didn't start reading History books before we invaded Iraq.

"The Man He Killed"
by Thomas Hardy

%u201CHad he and I but met
By some old ancient inn,
We should have sat us down to wet
Right many a nipperkin!

%u201CBut ranged as infantry,
And staring face to face,
I shot at him as he at me,
And killed him in his place.

%u201CI shot him dead because %u2014
Because he was my foe,
Just so: my foe of course he was;
That%u2019s clear enough; although

%u201CHe thought he%u2019d %u2018list, perhaps,
Off-hand like %u2014 just as I %u2014
Was out of work %u2014 had sold his traps %u2014
No other reason why.

%u201CYes; quaint and curious war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You%u2019d treat if met where any bar is,
Or help to half-a-crown.%u201D

Get out of Iraq NOW. Just put down your guns and walk out. There is not one positive thing we can accomplish by staying. It will only be worse. Iraq will figure it out ... it may not be the way some would like to see it figured out, but that's the way it will be... and in the long march of history it won't matter anyway.

[grumpas]

I see Georgie still lives in his infantile dream world of his! "The Vietnam War's lesson for today's confounding Iraq conflict is that freedom takes time to trump hatred." I don't see where hatred was ever trumped by the fiasco known as Viet Nam! It is alive and well in Iraq! Bush is going to make certain it stays alive and well by continuely stirring the simmering pot! As long as he is in office he will keep the fires of hatred burning brightly to warm his cold little heart! I don't think he is ever going to get it! He just isn't bright enough to (he is a few bricks short of a full load)! As long as he can make a photo op out of his disaster's he is going to! While our troops suffer and die for his lost cause!

[revdrdark]

The "Lessons of Viet Nam" have been learned...by the guerilla forces that we are fighting now, in Iraq. Our troops have no business fighting wars that Iraqi troops should be fighting for themselves...and show no interest in fighting. Behold, the USA prostrated before an angry world, by this born and bred, money-grubbing, lying puppet of Big Business. Rub your noses in it, Republicans. Bush cannot even keep third world Nations from acquiring the A-Bomb, since he has cost the USA hard-won prestige overseas. But, hey; at least Bush cronies lined their pockets at the expense of thousands of ordinary lives. Count the dead, young Republicans. The truth is upon you. DOWN WITH THE G.O.P! Long live the U.S.A!

[sharncedar]

"My generation paid a horrible price for Viet Nam"

And now my son's generation will pay and pay and pay Vietnam all of our money and jobs, as Bush sells us out with another "free market" deal. Especially bitter that he is rewarding communists again by destroying America.

If Bush was running a business, I guess he would increase sales by selling at a loss. OH that's right, he's never run a business or had a job. Lucky us.

[tinker3478]

If he weren't a draft-dodger, Bubba Dubya might know that we didn't win over there. 10 years cost nearly 60,000 dead, over 300,000 maimed for life, and 3 million disillusioned young men who came home to a country that was ashamed of them. How can he possibly applaud their wonderful peace. My generation paid a horrible price for Viet Nam-one that I don't want my children and grandchildren replicating in Iraq.

[tejasdemo]

I have absolutely no respect for Bush at all. None.

TIC-TAC-IRAQ, (NAM)sound famailiar? just like the dumb game of TIC-TAC-TOE....its pointless and there is never a winner

[sunshine_2]

"Those include continuing military-to-military links, work on AIDS and bird flu, trade, and cooperation on information about more than 1,300 U.S. military personnel still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War." ????

Break any and all Military-to-military Links, No Deals on any Trade of Economic issues until the 1,300 U.S. military personnel become accounted for as best as is humanly possible.

Vietnam has "Held our Dead Or missing service members " as hostage on almpost every occasion and not not been fully cooperative on this very touchie issue.

I am for Normalizing Political Discussionos and and Policy, but we sholud not be considering trade until our Service men/women are better accouted for.

President "Big Business" Bush is trying to get more Big Bisiness backing for Republicans again?

Work out the Korea issues before bringing me Vietnam made goods or building a Walmart in Hanoi.

[frankbowers]

35 years ago this *** deserter was to frighten to go out from under his mothers dress tail. Instesd he got high on dope down on Telephone Road in Houston and could not pass his flight physical and deserted to Alamaba. His parents did not know where he was although his dad bought the ticket for him to go I guess one could say he, like his dad, has had a *** short memory for a long time. Now he goes to Vietnam with his protectors (CIA Body Guards) and acts like he has a little intellengence. If it was up to me I would call Airforce 1 home and let him stay. Our country would be better off with out him a deserter where as a fly boy he was not able to go for as a deserter they could not find him. Frank Bowers in Austin, TX

[pakaal]

Bush said "the Vietnam War's lesson for today's confounding Iraq conflict is that freedom takes time to trump hatred."

Wha-huh? Vietnam is still Communist, and they didn't hate us until we tried to prop up the South's losing government and started killing vietnamese by the tens of thousands. I'm glad our freedom from Bush is only two years away.

[tibu987]

tomar0317
Good take. Yes, the politicians get the U.S. into all kinds of international(and national)problematic and often horrific situations and then blame everyone else for it.
It's what they do for a living.
Ignorance, thy name is politics.
'Nuff said.

[tibu987]

This guy, "W', has the opportunity to take his wife on free vacation trips around the world.
This ineffectual person(sic) has little influence in the world and all of it is bad.
Jeeeeeeeeez, two more years. I don't know if I can stand it. Whew!

[exusmcsgt]

Bush said today in Viet Nam that there's a lesson to be learned from Viet Nam. He is absolutely correct, but he sure as hell hasn't learned it.....

[exusmcsgt]

ChipBennett-

Not here - he lost mine years ago.

[pudd54]

I certianly repect his office. I repect some things about him, like his commitment. But even I have to admit he is not the sharpest tool in the shed nor is he commited to my ideals.