Comments on: From a Vietnam Vet: A Guest Blog http://agora.stevenpressfield.com/2009/07/from-a-vietnam-vet-a-guest-blog/ Website of author and historian, Steven Pressfield. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:07:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Gary Goulart http://agora.stevenpressfield.com/2009/07/from-a-vietnam-vet-a-guest-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-1799 Gary Goulart Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:04:02 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=483#comment-1799 I was on the ship USS Hopewell, during the Vietnam War. I am currently suffering serveral illness, which I believe is a direct result from the chemical, Agent Orange. One of the diseases I have, is hemochromotosis, which is overload of iron in the liver. I would like to know if there is anyone out there that has hemochromotosis and was also exposed to Agent Orange. If there is also anyone that was on the USS Hopewell at the same time (Between 1967-1970) Trying to get comp for medical and PTSD, I have been denied. I have been at it for two years. Thanks, Gary G. I was on the ship USS Hopewell, during the Vietnam War. I am currently suffering serveral illness, which I believe is a direct result from the chemical, Agent Orange. One of the diseases I have, is hemochromotosis, which is overload of iron in the liver. I would like to know if there is anyone out there that has hemochromotosis and was also exposed to Agent Orange. If there is also anyone that was on the USS Hopewell at the same time (Between 1967-1970) Trying to get comp for medical and PTSD, I have been denied. I have been at it for two years. Thanks, Gary G.

]]> By: TS Alfabet http://agora.stevenpressfield.com/2009/07/from-a-vietnam-vet-a-guest-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-1798 TS Alfabet Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:53:01 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=483#comment-1798 Where to start? While I pay my respects to Mr. Bowler's service in Vietnam, his... analysis and recommendations are threadbare and misguided. The facts that he relies upon are popular myths, questionable at best. His prescriptions for making deals with dictators (like the Iranian mullahs) are a shameful sell out to every American value we hold dear. And the Taliban? While recognizing that there are some insurgents that are doing it for the paycheck and a far smaller number who are ideologically committed to the cause (and, thus, incapable of negotiating in any meaningful way), how exactly would Mr. Bowler ensure that A-stan does not become a hotbed of terrorist planning and training? Our greatest mistake has been in allowing Al Qaeda to take up a comfortable residency in Pakistan in 2001. We should have told the Paks back in 2001 that we are coming after AQ and if the Paks want to come along for the ride, that's fine, otherwise get out of the way... "Prepare to be boarded." We gave them that type of ultimatum before we invaded A-stan. Somehow we lost our nerve when it came to the Pak border. A border, by the way, that doesn't really exist for any practical purpose. It will probably take another horrific attack on the U.S. to get us back into the proper frame of mind to win this war against islamic fascism. Until then, we are just playing games in the Middle East. Where to start?

While I pay my respects to Mr. Bowler’s service in Vietnam, his… analysis and recommendations are threadbare and misguided. The facts that he relies upon are popular myths, questionable at best. His prescriptions for making deals with dictators (like the Iranian mullahs) are a shameful sell out to every American value we hold dear. And the Taliban? While recognizing that there are some insurgents that are doing it for the paycheck and a far smaller number who are ideologically committed to the cause (and, thus, incapable of negotiating in any meaningful way), how exactly would Mr. Bowler ensure that A-stan does not become a hotbed of terrorist planning and training?

Our greatest mistake has been in allowing Al Qaeda to take up a comfortable residency in Pakistan in 2001. We should have told the Paks back in 2001 that we are coming after AQ and if the Paks want to come along for the ride, that’s fine, otherwise get out of the way… “Prepare to be boarded.” We gave them that type of ultimatum before we invaded A-stan. Somehow we lost our nerve when it came to the Pak border. A border, by the way, that doesn’t really exist for any practical purpose.

It will probably take another horrific attack on the U.S. to get us back into the proper frame of mind to win this war against islamic fascism. Until then, we are just playing games in the Middle East.

]]> By: andrew lubin http://agora.stevenpressfield.com/2009/07/from-a-vietnam-vet-a-guest-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-1797 andrew lubin Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:55:27 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=483#comment-1797 Well said, Sir! It's worth remembering that during Vietnam, the Marines were running a very successful COIN program in the south, but Westmoreland made them stop and pushed them into FOB's like Khe Sanh - so much for that strategy... It seems the only war the Army is ready to fight is the war of the generation prior Well said, Sir!

It’s worth remembering that during Vietnam, the Marines were running a very successful COIN program in the south, but Westmoreland made them stop and pushed them into FOB’s like Khe Sanh – so much for that strategy…

It seems the only war the Army is ready to fight is the war of the generation prior

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