Shades of LBJPage 2 of 2 -- In 1967 Johnson said the world was better off with the US in Vietnam by saying: "Overall, we are making progress. We are satisfied with that progress. Our allies are pleased with that progress. Every country that I know of in that area that is familiar with what is happening thinks it is absolutely essential that Uncle Sam keep his word and stay there."
Bush said: "We will succeed in Iraq. We're carrying out a decision that has already been made and will not change." In 1968 Johnson said: "So far as changing our basic strategy, the answer would be no." As the public criticism of the Vietnam War mounted, Johnson mused: "Not many of us want to say `I failed,' or `I made a mistake.' " But he was also capable of saying: "A great many mistakes have been made. We take two steps forward and we slip back one. It is not all perfect by any means. There are a good many days when we get a C-minus instead of an A-plus." Contrast that to Bush, whose blameless righteousness allows him to proclaim, "Freedom is the Almighty's gift to every man and woman in this world." Bush said nothing about Iraqi civilians, as many as 10,000, killed by US bombs in the name of the Almighty. Bush was asked, "what would your biggest mistake be?" Bush said: "Hmmm. I wish you'd have given me this written question ahead of time so I could plan for it. . . . I'm sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference with all the pressure of trying to come up with an answer, but it hadn't yet. . . . I hope, I don't want to sound like I've made no mistakes. I'm confident I have. I just haven't -- you just put me under the spot here and maybe I'm not quick -- as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one." Nothing popped up in his head. All that is left are the analogies. In his press conference, Bush said: "Now is the time, and Iraq is the place in which the enemies of the civilized world are testing the will of the civilized world." Johnson said 1966: "The time is now, and the place is Vietnam."
Derrick Z. Jackson's e-mail address is jackson@globe.com. |
