Surge? Can You Spell T-E-T?

In 1968, the social revolution of the Viet-Cong and North Vietnamese tried began an offensive on the Lunar New Year against the South Vietnamese and their American supporters. Tet was a failure for the Viet-Cong and North Vietnam, but it was also a public relations nightmare for the United States when images of the carnage were reported on the news.

For the United States, the failure of Tet showed the American people that the war plans were not working. Rather than defeating the Viet-Cong and the North Vietnamese, all the action did was show that the United States was in a stalemate with little hope to win.

Political pressures eventually made the situation worse for troops as congress started to manage the war by manipulating the funding. President Johnson was the first political casualty of the war which seemed neglected during the investigations into the Nixon administration. Eventually, the troops left as Saigon and the country fell.

Rather than learn from history, President George W. Bush, the C Student, would rather repeat history and put the lives of American service personnel in harms way to try to preserve his legacy. But as we saw from the fallout of Tet, the reputation of LBJ and those like General William Westmoreland, commander of US forces in Vietnam, has not improved, even after nearly 40 years.

It will be difficult to compare Bush to Johnson. Bush cannot point to an accomplishment that has the potential for any lasting results where Johnson was a champion for Civil Rights and was instrumental in helping pass the Civil Rights act of 1964. Bush has lead the country down a path that can make Vietnam look like a Sunday picnic compared to the current situations in Iraq and the Middle East.

George Santayana wrote, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." It is apparent that the C Student made a C or less in his history class at Yale.

In Memory of Gerald R. Ford, our 38th President

Dear Mrs. Ford and family:

In 1976, President Ford visited Charlotte, North Carolina to celebrate the nation's bicentennial. As a 16 year old admirer of the president, I attended the gathering with friends and classmates. While I do not remember what he said on that sunny day in Freedom Park, I remember being impressed with the President's speech and thinking that he seemed like a nice person. I told a friend that I thought that it would be interesting to be able to sit with him for lunch.

Following his speech, the President walked near a roped off area of the crowd and shook hands with the people. Even after previous attempts on his life, President Ford walked the line and shook hands with those who came to see him. I was one of those fortunate enough to shake his hand. Although I was not old enough to vote, I supported the president for re-election. I felt that a good man deserved a good chance.

President Ford leaves a legacy of honesty, integrity, and decency, a combination that is difficult to find in any walk of life. The out pouring of affection for him and your family are well deserved by a nation who was honored by his service.

I wish there was more I can do to show my appreciation for your sharing this wonderful person with the nation during its time of need. I offer my sincere condolences and I wish you comfort in the wonderful memories you have of this great man, president, husband, father, and grandfather.

Saddam Hussein Full Execution Video

This is a full video of Saddam Hussein's execution. Apparently, one of the witnesses had a camera phone and put it to use. The video, although not the best quality, is very graphic. You will see Saddam's last seconds... beyond what you have been shown on television. If you think you will be disturbed by seeing the full execution, please do not watch!