USA means United we Stand Against war.

By: Dr.Asmat Hayat ALVI.

Vietnam War is one of the most unpopular wars in American History. GEN. Douglas Mac Arthur was the first famous person; who advised then President of U.S., J.F. Kennedy against going war in Vietnam. He was the most successful general of last century, the most popular man of his time, the most respected solder and the softest gentleman, as described by fellow gentlemen . Unfortunately he was unheard by J.F. Kennedy and his administration; as a result American lost war in Vietnam, thousands lives and respect all over the world.

Then it was McNamara, Defense Secretary of U.S.A., who expressed his disapproval over U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson’s plans to send more troops to Vietnam.  McNamara had doubts; American can win war in Vietnam; he left his office later when he can’t convince president Lyndon Johnson and other fellows in administration.

Biggest name against Vietnam War is Daniel Ellsberg, a former marine, although he is not as famous as GEN. Douglas Mac Arthur and  McNamara. He was in favor of war when he worked as a strategy analyst at the think-tank Rand Corporation, at the same time serving as a consultant to the US Defense Department. He later resigned from Rand Corporation, joined US Defense Department full time. He was responsible for drafting reports on Vietcong atrocities and sending them to US administration.

Daniel Ellsberg turned against war when he served at the American embassy in Saigon for two years; realized that reports on Vietcong atrocities were false; US authorities used those reports as an excuse to bomb, burn, bleed and bury Vietcong alive. His views altered totally on war; he became strongest anti-war advocate in American Society. In those days Daniel Ellsberg said many times repeatedly, “I believe America should get out of Vietnam as soon as possible.

On his return from Vietnam, he joined the Rand Corporation in 1967. He worked on McNamara-commissioned top-secret study about American decision –making in Indochina and Vietnam from 1945 to 1968. Daniel Ellsberg came to know many secrets un-known to public and their elected representatives in US senate and congress. Those  highly confidential and top-secret  documents were as lengthy as 7000 pages. After reading those detailed documents Daniel Ellsberg realized that America is losing war in Vietnam and there is no hope of winning it. He realized also, that President Richard Nixon administration is hiding facts and figure; not to lose their faces in public. He concluded that nobody  has courage to tell the truth to the public; in other words, “nobody wants to be the guy holding the bag and everybody wants to keep the war going and let someone else lose the war. At that point Daniel Ellsberg decided to sacrifice himself for common American.

He endangered his job, risked his own life and his friend Anthony Russo’s life; when both circulated photo-copies of secret documents among several congressmen. Both hoped law-makers will “Launch hearing into the conduct of American war-atrocities against innocent Vietnamese. Alas; both were unheard. Their sincere efforts would have gone waste if Media did not come forward. It was the media of US that made many papers public. On June 13, 1971 The New York Times published first series of documents. Authorities forced The New York Times to stop publishing . FBI launched a manhunt to arraign Daniel Ellsberg but failed.  Daniel Ellsberg turned himself in after two weeks; incredibly managed to distribute the documents to eighteen more publications during that small period.  President Richard Nixon’s administration played ugly game;  they offered the position of FBI director to the  presiding judge and tried many times to steal Daniel Ellsberg’s files from his psychiatrist office; but failed. It’s a matter of pride for every American that President Richard Nixon administration’s efforts to bribe the presiding judge were failed. He dropped all charges against Daniel Ellsberg and his friend and both men were freed.

When America went on war against  Afghanistan and later against Iraq; not a single prominent American voiced against it, although many African American, Asian American, Latin American and Muslim American raised their voices cautiously. After 9/11 many  questions were asked by many African American, Asian American, Latin American and Muslim American about nine-eleven, are unanswered until today.

It’s still a mystery who was behind 9/11 because Osama is still on the run and Mullah Omar is not captured until now.  America is the most polarized country on earth today because of war-on-terrorism.  America is losing fast her number one position in world economy to China.  American debts pile is rising fast, exports are dropping and unemployment in highly educated American is alarmingly very high.

Today, when we look back at 9/11 and two terms of former President George W. Bush, his crusade or war-on-terrorism, WMD (Weapon of mass destruction) of Saddam, ten thousand American deaths in Afghanistan & Iraq; we feel, we have lost a lot and gained nothing. 

Everybody in Barak Obama administration knows America is losing war in Afghanistan; unfortunately nobody is going to admit it.  When Gen. McChrystal was appointed in Afghanistan; he knew American and NATO are losing war in Afghanistan. Later he submitted a 66 page report to Defense Secretary Robert Gates calling for thirty thousand to forty thousand troops in Afghanistan; he was hoping  of turning down his request. He was playing a trick with president Barak Obama administration to save his own face for losing war in Afghanistan. That’s why  McChrystal released to the press and public of his recommendation to the Secretary of Defense; when he realized that  till winter 2010, his request of more troops will be met by Washington. 

Obama administration had decided to remove McChrystal from Afghanistan after release of said report; no disciplinary action was taken against him. McChrystal is very smart guy; shortly after his removal from command in Afghanistan, McChrystal announced that he would retire from the Army.  His trick worked, the White House announced that he would retain his four-star rank in retirement, although law generally requires a general officer to hold their rank for three years in order to retain it in retirement.

Today all American generals, all establishment and all people in Obama administration are like Gen. McChrystal, ““nobody wants to be the guy holding the bag and everybody wants to keep the war going and let someone else lose the war.

Today many un-known secrets are known to American generals, establishment and Obama administration but un-known to public and their elected representatives in US senate and congress.

Today America needs badly; someone like, GEN. Douglas Mac Arthur, McNamara or Daniel Ellsberg. Daniel Ellsberg has remained a vocal anti-war activist. He advised many times, on many occasions; people inside the establishment to step forward like him and leak information about the former President George Walker Bush administration’s war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Daniel Ellsberg is now a symbol of free speech and anti-war sentiments; at least for every average American and for me as well. I hope one day someone like Daniel Ellsberg will step forward and tell the truth to the press and public about nine-eleven and WMD. On that day American will not be a polarized nation like today. On that day every American will say with one voice, “USA means United we Stand Against war.

 Sep 16, 2010.