Masiqale ngokubamba isigqebelo. Kwiminyaka engamashumi amathathu, amadoda (kunye nomfazi oyedwa) ngoku abaqhuba ilizwe lethu baye babaleka eVietnam. Kule mfazwe, kuthathe iintsuku ezintandathu kuphela ukuba iVietnam ifikelele kubo. Phezolo, umzekelo, nantsi into endiyiqapheleyo kwi-CBS kunye neendaba zesizwe ze-ABC, zilandelwa yiLehrer News Hour. I-CBS ikhokele ngelizwi lokuba umkhosi wase-US e-Iraq, apho yonke into yayihamba ngokwesicwangciso nangeshedyuli, nangona kunjalo yacela uqinisekiso oluvela eMelika ukugada imigca yokubonelela kunye namajoni angama-700 aphuma kwinqanaba elixhobileyo athunyelwa ngaphandle kwangoko. Njengoko iMfazwe yaseVietnam yayiqhubeka, ewe, umkhosi wawusoloko uqinisekisa uluntu malunga nendlela izinto ezazihamba kakuhle ngayo emva koko wacela kuMongameli amadoda angakumbi.
UMongameli Bush uthethe eCentcom Florida izolo, uhlobo lwesiseko somkhosi esikhuselweyo apho uMongameli Johnson kunye noNixon bobabini bazifumana bekhululekile ukunika iintetho njengoko inkcaso kwiMfazwe yaseVietnam isanda. Iingxelo ze-ABC kunye ne-CBS ngentetho kaMongameli zombini ziphawule ngokucacileyo ukuba, ngomzuzu wokugqibela, "uyilungisile" intetho yakhe, etshintsha "inkqubela phambili yethu iphambi kweshedyuli" yaba "yinkqubela phambili elungileyo." Kwakhona inqaku eliqhelekileyo elingaqhelekanga ukusuka kwelinye ixesha.
Kwi-ABC, intatheli kwisaqhwithi sesanti ngaphandle kweNasiriya, ixhaswa ngamajoni aseMelika etyibilika kwindawo yemithi yesundu, yachaza ukuba oku yayingengomlo “wasentlango”; ukuba izithuthi zomkhosi ngoku zazixinge eludakeni (“quagmire” nabani na?); ukuba, xa kunikwa abalweli beFedayeen abanganxibanga yunifomu, kwakunzima “ukuxelela umhlobo kutshaba” (Sikhe sayiva phi loo nto ngaphambili - okanye ngalo mba wabona izithonga "zabalimi" bekhwela phezu kwechopha ephantsi yaseMelika?). Emva koko sabona isithonga somntu, onganxibanga yunifomu, ekhutshiwe ebotshelelwe izandla okanye ebotshwe ngasemva kunye nento ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yayisisigqubuthelo entloko. Ingxelo yaphela ngokucaphula intatheli yaseLwandle isithi, “Eminye imikhosi [e-Iraq] isilwa iMfazwe yeGulf II. Silapha eNasiriya silwa neVietnam. ”
Kwi-PBS, ababini kwabathathu abahlalutyi emkhosini bavumile ukuba "siphulukene nomfutho." Kwiingxelo zokuba phantsi kokhuselo lwesanti amajoni aBalindi beRiphabhlikhi ayesiya kumaqela aseMerika, omnye wathi, “[Imikhosi yethu] ihleli entlango kunye neenqwelo ezininzi ezonakeleyo zilindele uhlaselo.”
I-PBS iphinde yasasaza iiklip ze-Centcom zemihla ngemihla zengqungquthela eQatar. I-briefed briefer ibonakala ngokucacileyo ekukhuseleni. Intatheli yaseKhanada yaboniswa ikhalaza ukuba umkhosi awuzange ubonise iividiyo zemijukujelwa eziphose kwiithagethi zazo okanye zibethe iithagethi ezingalunganga kwaye zifuna ukwazi ukuba ezinye ziya kufumaneka nini. Emva koko, ukumangaliswa kwam, umnxibelelanisi we-CBS waphakama wakhalaza ngokungqongqo ukuba, ngelixa iintatheli "ezifakwe" zinika imifanekiso emininzi emincinci, "umfanekiso omkhulu" bekumele uvele kwiCentcom; endaweni yoko, waphawula, yonke into eyayinikelwa yayiziividiyo zogwayimbo lomoya omncinci. Ngapha koko, zonke iinkomfa zeendaba zePentagon zolo suku zikwazile ukujongeka zihlekisa kwaye zingathembekanga njengoko izithethi kunye nabasetyhini bezama ukubeka ityala lokwenzakala kwabantu abavela kwi-missile-in-the-Baghdad-market kwi-Iraqis.
Ngapha koko, kuthathe ixesha elingaphantsi kweveki ukuba iintatheli zaseMelika ziqale ukuthandabuza ii-Pentagon briefers (iintatheli zakwamanye amazwe zaqala ngaloo ndlela) - isicatshulwa esithathe iminyaka eVietnam - kwaye ii-briefers ziqale ukubonakala njengabathathi-nxaxheba kwi-Saigon yakudala. amagqabantshintshi oonondaba aquka “ukubalwa kwemizimba” edume kakubi, ebizwa ngokuba yintlekisa ngabacholacholi beendaba ngokuthi “Iintsimbi Zesihlanu IiFollies.” Ngamanye amazwi, iveki ukuya emfazweni ukuqhekeka kokuqala kwinto enokuba yimithombo yeendaba "i-gap yokuthembeka" sele ibonisa. Njengoko kwenzekayo, imigaqo-nkqubo yePentagon yokulawula imithombo yeendaba yayiqaqambile, kodwa ikwaxhomekeke ekuzisweni kwemfazwe ethenjisiweyo - "icakewalk" emfutshane yenkululeko.
Kwaye ke kukho umba wokwenzakala. Ixesha elide ekuphela kwentsalela yaseVietnam eshiyekileyo ukoyikisa abacwangcisi baseMelika yayingumcimbi wokwenzakala kwaseMelika - okanye endaweni yoko, uloyiko lokuba ukuba imikhosi yaseMelika ibathathe nangaliphi na inani elibalulekileyo ezo bhegi zomzimba ezifika ekhaya ziya kubiza naluphi na ulawulo lwenkxaso yaseMelika. abantu. Olu loyiko lwahamba phantsi kwegama elithi "I-Vietnam Syndrome" kwaye yabonwa njengohlobo lwe-pathology yoluntu ekufuneka yoyiswe. Ngenxa yoko, kwiMfazwe yeGulf yokugqibela, kwakungasekho kudubula kweengxowa zomzimba, kwaye kwimfazwe ekhula umgama omde, akusekho mizimba yaseMelika. Into ehlekisayo ngalo mzuzu kukuba iPentagon izifumana ikwimeko engathandekiyo yokubaleka ixhoba lelinye icala, esenzela ilizwe oko abantu abenzakeleyo baseMelika bakwenzela iUnited States eVietnam.
Zombini i-CBS kunye ne-ABC phezolo babonise ukudubula kokuqala endikhe ndakubona kubantwana base-Iraq abenzakeleyo abasuka kulaa makethi yase-Baghdad, esele ixhaphakile kwiiseti zeTV zehlabathi kodwa hayi apha. Enye into ephambili kuqala, iveki enye ku: ukudubula "kwelinye icala" njengabalweli, i-jeep ye-Fedayeen enompu womatshini oxhonywe kuyo kunye ne-Fedayeen emseleni, imipu ejoliswe ngokungathi ilungiselela ukulalela, zonke zithathwe eIraq. Umabonwakude.
Mhlawumbi eyona nto inomdla ngakumbi, iveki enye emfazweni, uninzi lweengxabano ezisemva kwexesha kunye nezityholo zexesha laseVietnam ziphinde zavela kwaye ukuchaswa ngokusemthethweni sele kuqalile. Nazi ezinye iingxoxo ezivela ekunene, umzekelo, eziya kubonakala kuye nabani na owayephila ekupheleni kweMfazwe yaseVietnam kunye ne-postscript:
Silwa ngesandla esinye sibotshelelwe ngasemva: Izolo, kwiphepha le-op-ed ye-Los Angeles Times, umzekelo, ingcali yezobuchule u-Ed Luttwack wayesele ebiza umkhosi ukuba uyeke ukuxhalaba malunga nokwenzakala e-Iraqi kwaye wenze ukubuyisela okuncinci eBaghdad ukuze imfazwe iphele ngokukhawuleza.
Abemi kwi-White House kunye nePentagon abawuvumelanga umkhosi ukuba uqhube imfazwe owawufuna: Kwiveki enye, ukudubula phakathi kweenjengele ezidla umhlala-phantsi kunye nee-admirals (ethetha ngamaqabane abo asebenzayo) kunye namanani ahlukeneyo angachazwanga ngamagama emkhosini, iinkonzo zobuntlola, kunye nolawulo sele lunoburhalarhume. Njengoko uJoseph Galloway ebhala nje ( Iqhinga likaRumsfeld liphantsi komlilo njengoko imingcipheko yemfazwe isiya ibonakala ngakumbi) kuKnight Ritter, “'Le yimfazwe yasemhlabeni ebingayi kwenzeka kwisicwangciso [sikaRumsfeld],' latsho igosa lePentagon. Ngenxa yokuba iPentagon ingenzanga mandla agqithisileyo, 'ngoku sinezahlulo ezithathu ezithe qelele ngaphezulu kweekhilomitha ezingama-300 kunye necandelo lokulandela, indawo yethu yogcino, mhlawumbi iiveki ezintathu ukuba ifike.'” Okanye ngaphantsi kwembeko, “'Inye igosa eliphezulu lolawulo liyibeka ngolu hlobo le nto: 'Ukothuka noKukhwankqiswa' yinkunzi yoMkhosi Womoya—!'”
Lityala lamajelo eendaba: UFred Barnes, umhleli olawulayo weWeekly Standard sele ecatshulwe kwiNew York Times esithi, “Uluntu lwaseMerika luyayazi ukubaluleka kwale mfazwe. Abakhathali njengokwenzakala njengoko kunjalo kumaphephandaba aseMelika. ” Kwaye sinokuba kude kangakanani kwi-siphumelele-lonke-idabi, njani-ungabanga-le-ayiyo-ayiyo-win-ingxoxo-qhinga?
Ndikholelwe, le yiVietnam ekuya phambili ngokukhawuleza. Siqhube iminyaka evekini. Ngubani owaziyo, ukuba izinto aziqhawuki kakuhle kolu lawulo, apho siyakube sihleli kwiveki ukusuka ngoku? Xa ucinga ngako, kuthathelwe ukuphupha okuhlekisayo kunye nokucwangcisa ngamadoda ngaphakathi kungekuphela nje iBeltway, kodwa iBubbleway, kwiminyaka emininzi, ukuguqula uSadaam Hussein abe yiHo Chi Minh kangangeeveki okanye iinyanga ezimbalwa.
Into esele icacile kukuba urhulumente wethu akazange aswele nto xa kuthethwa ngokuzithemba. Ngaphandle kwegama lesilumkiso le-pro forma okanye ezimbini kwiiveki zangaphambi kwemfazwe, iinkokeli zethu ngokucacileyo zazithandana “nesicwangciso” sazo, kwaye ziwathanda kakhulu amandla aseMelika kunye nomnqweno wawo wokulungiselela imfazwe yokwenyani, uhlobo oluthi, ukusukela oko Abanqolobi baseSpain boyisa iNapoleon, iye yaliwa yimikhosi exhobileyo, ehlala ingekho egameni lobubele, i-democratic gents, ngokuchasene namandla amakhulu kakhulu kunye neengxaki ezichasene nengcaciso (ubuncinci nayiphi na into enokuthi icinge ngayo amandla ahlaselayo.)
Ngandlela ithile, amadoda aseWashington awazange acinge ukuba, kuzo zonke ezo nyanga zingapheliyo zokwakhiwa kwemfazwe, utshaba lwabo lunokwenza okanye lunokwenza into. Babezicingela ngokugqithiseleyo ukuba bathande utshaba lwabo lwexesha elizayo ngengcamango enzulu. Babengakwazi nje ukuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni welinye icala lemfazwe ababeceba ukuyilwa, kuquka nehlabathi ababeceba ukungena kulo. (Ngaba loo nto ayikhali intsimbi encinane ekhalayo ukusuka kwixesha endingazukuzihlupha ukuyibiza kwakhona?)
"Imfazwe yegumbi lokuhlala" yayiyintatheli yaseNew Yorker uMichael Arlen ibinzana elidumileyo leMfazwe yaseVietnam ekhaya, kodwa ngelo xesha babengazi ukuba yintoni imfazwe yegumbi lokuhlala. Imfazwe engama-24/7 engeyiyo i-cakewalk ngamandla okugqibela ehlabathi kwi-TV ye-gazillion emhlabeni wonke ngokucacileyo ibeka iintlobo zoxinzelelo kurhulumente kwiintsuku ezimbalwa ezathatha iminyaka ukwakha ngexesha leVietnam. Ngaphandle kwaloo kota yesigidi seedola yabeka iPentagon eyakhiwe eQatar ukuba yothuse amaphephandaba, mhlawumbi iPentagon yayingenakho ukucinga “iintshaba” zabo kumajelo eendaba (kuba yindlela abaye bazithatha ngayo ukusukela kwixesha laseVietnam). Ngoku, ukuba izinto ziba mbi ngakumbi, banequla lamakhulu eentatheli apho abagxeki abanokuba ngabathandabuzayo, esele “befakwe” kwiiyunithi zomkhosi, kusenokwenzeka ukuba bavele. Ndiyinika iveki okanye ezimbini kungcono ngaphandle kokuba le mfazwe ijika ngokukhawuleza indlela yaseWashington.
Musa ukwenza impazamo apha, imfazwe e-Iraq ngenxa yezizathu ezingapheliyo ayisiyiyo iMfazwe yaseVietnam i-reux- ngaphandle kokuba, ewe, yiloo ntlekele kuwo onke macala abuyileyo njengeyona nto ibulalayo. Kodwa nokuba yintoni na, inokuba yindlela yentlekele nokuba “siphumelele” nini na. Kwaye iinkokeli zethu azilulo uhlobo lwamadoda anamava amaninzi ngokuphulukana nolawulo. Ithemba, ndiyakuqinisekisa, liyoyikisa.
UTom Engelhardt ngumhleli wexesha elide ekupapasheni kunye nombhali Ukuphela kweNkcubeko yoloyiso. Eli nqaku liqale lavela kwiblogi yakhe yeZiko leSizwe, http://www.tomdispatch.com, enika ukuhamba okuzinzileyo kweminye imithombo, iindaba kunye noluvo.
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Nikela