For the US, and for its academic and intellectual elites, Vietnam is an especially tragic military denouement to WWII of losing eastern Europe and Central Europe...
It served mainly, for about 20 years and thereafter, and very successfully and crucially, both militarily, socially, academically, politically, and intellectually, to distract the US from what else, critically important, was happening globally, not just what had been happening in Europe.
These were crucial years for the transition, by other powers, from a world once dominated by the West to one now centered elsewhere.
The Middle East has served much the same purpose politically, for the past 25 years, a disastrous drain on civilizational resources and attention at a critical period, but also with some very important economic commercial and geopolitical distinctions, such the presence of oil in the Middle East whereas none in Vietnam, proximity of Russia, etc.
See also Randy Fertel's post today:
He doesn't perhaps share that much of my perspective, but he at least struggles in a good direction...
https://www.facebook.com/rfertel/posts/10155032000244402
The Middle East has served much the same purpose politically, for the past 25 years, a disastrous drain on civilizational resources and attention at a critical period, but also with some very important economic commercial and geopolitical distinctions, such the presence of oil in the Middle East whereas none in Vietnam, proximity of Russia, etc.
See also Randy Fertel's post today:
He doesn't perhaps share that much of my perspective, but he at least struggles in a good direction...
https://www.facebook.com/rfertel/posts/10155032000244402
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