Off-topic: "Pulling off a Nixon"

[OldChemE]

On 11/26/2018 at 7:57 AM, Silvestru said:

This is my thought exactly. But (and this might be an unpopular opinion) I think also Poroshenko might be pulling off a Nixon. (extending the Vietnam war to cause Fear, uncertainty and doubt to get re-elected).

BTW as a slight off-topic, I have "noticed" many Nixon tricks in this conflict. Remember the checkers speech? 
And you know, the kids, like all kids, love the dog and I just want to say this right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we're gonna keep it.

I saw many similar strawman speeches during the last years in this conflict. 

I found the "Pulling off a Nixon" comment interesting-- in how our minds rewrite history based on our conceived notions.  Nixon did not extend the war-- see below (from history).  Nixon was sworn in as President in January 1969 for his first term-- He immediately started reducing US involvement in the war.  I was in the military at the time and was very happy to know I was unlikely to be sent to Vietnam.  During Nixon's term as Vice President he spent time on missions to China.  He understood that the Vietnam war was a bad idea.  He lost his office for good reasons-- the the war was not one of them.  The withdrawal was almost complete by the time of the 1972 election.

History Channel-- timeline of the Vietnam war:

• 1969-1972: The Nixon administration gradually reduces the number of U.S. forces in South Vietnam, placing more burden on the ground forces of South Vietnam’s ARVN as part of a strategy known as Vietnamization. U.S. troops in Vietnam were reduced from a peak of 549,000 in 1969 to 69,000 in 1972. 

Edited December 5, 2018 by OldChemE

[Silvestru]

5 hours ago, OldChemE said:

I found the "Pulling off a Nixon" comment interesting-- in how our minds rewrite history based on our conceived notions.  Nixon did not extend the war-- see below (from history).  Nixon was sworn in as President in January 1969 for his first term-- He immediately started reducing US involvement in the war.  I was in the military at the time and was very happy to know I was unlikely to be sent to Vietnam.  During Nixon's term as Vice President he spent time on missions to China.  He understood that the Vietnam war was a bad idea.  He lost his office for good reasons-- the the war was not one of them.  The withdrawal was almost complete by the time of the 1972 election.

History Channel-- timeline of the Vietnam war:

• 1969-1972: The Nixon administration gradually reduces the number of U.S. forces in South Vietnam, placing more burden on the ground forces of South Vietnam’s ARVN as part of a strategy known as Vietnamization. U.S. troops in Vietnam were reduced from a peak of 549,000 in 1969 to 69,000 in 1972. 

I wasn't expecting this high-jack haha.  Nixon deliberately sabotaged the Paris Peace talks. He finally ended the Vietnam War, but only after extending it.

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21768668

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/31/opinion/sunday/nixons-vietnam-treachery.html

Also check the pentagon papers, White House Plumbers etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagon_Papers

Sorry to open old wounds.

Nixon: The only place where you and I disagree is with regard to the bombing. You're so goddamned concerned about civilians and I don't give a damn. I don't care. 

Also you quoted the Vietnamization. This was just replacing US troops with Vietnamese troops. But I guess we only care about the "important lives".

Edited December 5, 2018 by Silvestru

[Silvestru]

One thing I just realised is that I said he sabotaged the peace talks to get re-elected. I meant elected. I was thinking of the Ukrainian President when I mean the "re".
But I guess that doesn't change my stance that he extended the war by sabotaging peace talks because he thought that improved his chances of becoming president.