Jimmy Carter's leadership (pardons).
 

On this day -- thirty-nine years ago -- President Carter pardoned nearly all Vietnam War draft evaders. Every day since, that has looked like a better decision as the entire expedition was a fiasco. Eventually, even the President (an Admiral Rickover trained former nuclear submarine officer!) realized it was counterproductive to prosecute people for having been correct in the first place regarding folly.

Noted. So why, two generations later, did we turn around and do the same tactical thing in the Middle East? Sure, there's no draft as the military had been ridiculously bloated to fight a two front strategic war that is never going to happen but we still failed to heed The Princess Bride's admonishment to avoid land wars in Asia. And, no, 9/11 is NOT justification for a damned thing beyond bringing to justice specifically perpetrators tied to that incident. All of this other mess, WE caused.

If the draft was, today, necessary or reinstated? I'd drive every male child I know to Canada. :(

No argument here. I actively protested the war when I lived in the DC area back then.

+1


No more blood for oil!


Carl

Me and my best bud dumped Tide detergent in the fountains along Constitution Ave. during one of the marches on Congress. I hope the statute of limitations has run out. ;)

One of my favorite news stories when I was an Oakland Tribune paperboy @1967-68 was the Joan Baez protesting at the train station, getting jailed, and then doing it again. :)


Carl

Pops was there for the 'I Have a Dream' speech in DC, dressed in his minister's robe when Joan played. I guess the apple didn't fall too far from the tree.

As did I both down in DC and in Blacksburg, VA, though mostly for fun, weed and the loose earth-mother types that frequented such events.:cool:

I'm a Vietnam Veteran.

FUCK ALLA YOU HIPPIE DRAFT DODGERS!

Satire? :rolleyes:

remf. :d

I dodged nothing. My draft lottery number was 252 so I could stay home and chase earth-mothers.:p

I came of draft age after the war. That didn't stop me from hangin' out in front of the White House with 100,000 of my closest friends in the early '70s. My older brothers were in the same boat as you.

Universal soldiers really are to blame.

Their orders come from far away no more.