We've had some good reading and analysis on Vietnam over at Asia Chronicle, www.asiachroniclenews.com, but this is a welcome addition to my reading list and I will be sure to get the word out about some of these.

Decent Interval by Frank Snepp - the story of the final US departure and the defeat of the South Vietnamese government from the POV of a leading CIA analyst is a must-read if one wants to understand the depth of depravity that various US institutions sunk to. The bits about Graham Martin, the addled, ostrich-like US ambassador are priceless.

The Sorrows of War is one of the best novels I have ever read. Superbly written. I cannot recommend it enough. So often we forget that the other side is made up of men and women, very similar to us, with shared dreams and hardships.

In the Jaws of History is also very good. Somewhat self-serving, but it tells the poignant story of culture clashes, misunderstandings, missed opportunities, and ultimate failure of the dysfunctional US - South Vietnamese relationship from the Vietnamese side. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the love/hate relationship between the US and South Vietnam. The irony of the powerful/powerless relationship is striking.

very much the list of a South Vietnamese refugee

Would have to have Jeffrey Race's War Comes to Long An on any Vietnam list, and Robert Brigham's ARVN is a better book that Andrew Wiest's. Oh and David Elliot's tome The Vietnamese War is essential reading

It looks like a good potion of the authors above wrote in response to feelings of betrayal and abandonment by the United States. Is there a lesson learned here for the contemporary fights in Iraq and Afghanistan? I think so.

Regardless of how we ended up in Iraq and Afghanistan and the mistakes made in the early years, we need to make sure that we don't precipitously pull the rug out from under those who have supported us.

The Iraqis and Afghans have a much greater stake in the conflicts than any American. If COIN theorists and practitioners such as GEN Petreus and David Kilcullen are correct in asserting that the support of the population s the key to conflict, the U.S. / West must understand that the vital interests of the Iraqis and Afghans are as important as our own.

Tom, have you thought about incorporating a function that allows readers of the site to pose questions, which then you could answer or not, depending?

I've long been wondering, for example, what you think might be going on in Iraq with the Shi'as? These days, if we hear anything, it's about Anbar, and what the surge was, and how it worked, etc. But what's up with Moqtada? Is he off bolstering his bona fides as a scholar so he can eventually be something of an al-Sistani? Is he laying low until the US really does leave, and if so, then what?

Connected to that, I suppose, is Iran's role in Iraq. Not that many months ago Iranian "meddling" was all the news. Now, nada.

Sorry to drop this in on a nice discussion of Vietnam books. Has anyone read Prados's VIETNAM: THE UNWINNABLE WAR?

Tom Ricks wrote in the Washington Post to abolish all Academies and War Colleges but still has not told which if any of the Academies or War Colleges he has actually visited so that readers and listeners would know if Ricks had any valid knowledge of what he is talking about. That is, Ricks popped-off with "Lets kill Annapolis et al" with no personal knowledge of the life, culture, ethos of each of the Academies.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/16/AR2009041603483.html

The article by Tom Ricks in this case is irresponsible and sloppy and Ricks owes cadets, midshipmen, families, NOK, grads, prospects and his readers an apology for his weak journalism. His topic, Accountability and Transparency, is excellent -- Grads more or as much as any others urge Accountability and Transparency of their Academies -- and War Colleges -- and I have written so; but his actual article is so failed as to warrant some decent apology especially for injury to those who cannot hit back: families and NOK and the dead and prospects for academies affected by the sloppy article.

By way of introduction, my West Point class is 1966. I chaired construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in DC and worked with vets for decades building the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Women's statue at the Wall, the Women in Military Service Memorial in DC and Memorials in many states. Right now I work to help the project for the WW II Women Pilots (WASPs) be awarded a Congressional Gold Medal, as were the Tuskegee Airmen. That legislation has just passed the Senate. For President Reagan I planned and directed the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program in 47 states. Some of the programs continue to this day, on their own funding. The VVLP mission is to link vets up with each other to find jobs and to break the false stereotype of vets as folks to feel sorry for, to pity, to treat as victims; instead to recognize vets as Strong Warfighters and Strong Citizens. Many VVLP guys and gals now work this mission for Iraq and Afghanistan vets.

Here is why Tom Ricks owes an apology. First, he seems not even to know that USCGA and USMMA exist. But his piece would abolish them. What an insult to USCGA and USMMA -- to say abolish them and not mention them. Second, Ricks does not say where on the web his cost data can be obtained and examined. Third, he in fact has not visited all the Academies and War Colleges he would shut, in a way to learn their ethos and culture and effectiveness of teaching, but by his tone of (false) knowledge, readers would think he has some close knowledge of the schools; West Point reports that Ricks has visited briefly, but not to learn anything at West Point of depth about the life and values of cadets and West Point and of West Point grads.

Fourth, Ricks omits mention that Washington and Jefferson long ago had sharp discussions about the need for West Point, and Washington strongly wanted the Academy. Jefferson opposed until right after he became President and saw the light, so to speak. He set up West Point (and so all Academies) (except USCGA) to draw youngsters from all walks of life -- the very poor especially -- proportionately from all over America through Congressional appointment. The Academies Reflect America thanks to Jefferson's Genius and Washington's Leadership.

Ricks seems not to know that the founders were clear on the need for a National Military Academy and he does not re-examine their arguments. USCGA brings in applicants by examination only, not by appointment from Congress proportionally nationwide. USCGA still succeeds in reflecting all of America and in fact has a slightly higher proportion of women admitted than the other four academies.

Fifth, Ricks does a thing that shows complete unfamiliarity with the heartbeat and life of the Academies: he tries to separate the Graduates from their Academies by saying the Grads are "crackerjack" but the schools are "community colleges" -- meant to mean, "second or third rate." So he insults Community Colleges too :) Most Academy grads strive to embody the values of their Academy in their lives. Ricks, unaware of this, shows a kind of insulting ignorance.

Sixth, Ricks in his article holds up ROTC as a paradigm without noting that no O-10 in active service has faced Peer War -- WW II kind of like war -- meaning that in 2009 the military does not know if ROTC programs steel grads adequately for Peer War. Meanwhile, Academies are proved in steeling grads for Peer War. He does not address the known un-evenness and disparities and inadequacies reported on many ROTC programs nationwide. He shows ignorance of his subject matter, in short. He goes on to say that Academy grads are too expensive therefore, but with no foundation of fact and analysis. Some or many or all ROTC programs may in fact be significantly underfunded.

Seventh, Ricks in his piece uses some alleged hearsay about some commanders who prefer non-West Pointers, he says. That is fine -- West Point is not perfect and not nearly perfect :) But anecdotal hearsay proves nothing. An editor of merit would have deleted, and pressed for real substantiation.

Eighth, Ricks omits to say that more than any other Americans, many Academy grads believe that their Academies have to earn their keep anew in each generation. I have written this myself. It is a reason that I participated in and supported the work of author Rick Atkinson in his writing the book, "The Long Gray Line" about West Point and the class of 1966. I told Rick, "We owe an accounting, to say to Americans, this is what you gave to us, and this is our Report." The book shows my own foibles, blunders and errors :) The point is, Accountabilty and Transparency :)

Ninth, Ricks omits mention of women and the gateway that the Academies provide to women for contributing to the defense and life of our Country. In 2005 the 10,000th woman graduated from the Five Federal Academies (I did the research); America is now on the way to 15,000 women grads of the Academies. This is a powerful and culturally and militarily important cohort. Ricks seems oblivious to this aspect, the aspect of bringing women so quickly and fully into mainstream Military and (as vets) Community Leadership. This exhibits again the genius of Washington and Jefferson. They made this possible.

Tenth, the piece Ricks wrote is so journalistically irresponsible that it unforgivably wounded folks who Can't Fight Back. That is, he rattled the morale and feelings of parents of prospective cadets and midshipmen and the prospects themselves, and many cadets and midshipmen, and widows and NOK of Academy grads killed in battle, and he insulted the brave dead from Academies. Hal Moore USMA 1945 of "We Were Soldiers" is an overpriced product of a third-rate college? Some would disagree. His steel in saving his battalion is seen by many as Proof of West Point's Value as Founded by Presidents Washington and Jefferson. Paul W. "Buddy" Bucha USMA 1965 is an overpriced grad of a third rate school? Congress and the President probably thought otherwise in citing Buddy for the Medal of Honor for saving the 89 men in his surrounded and cut-off Company in the 101st Abn. My dad John Wheeler USMA Jan 1943 at Normandy and the Ardennes and the Bridge at Remagen and the Liberation of the Nordhausen Death Camps was the overpriced grad of a third rate school? Ricks can go to Arlington and speak that at my Dad's grave :)

Eleventh, Ricks rabbit-punches Dave Petraeus USMA 1974. He insults him. He calls Dave's school third rate but says Dave somehow got into Princeton for graduate school. Dave had been kind and gracious to Ricks. Ricks is rather insulting to the Commanding General who trusts him. He does owe an apology for that. Ricks ignores that Dave himself by his life and work strives to embody West Point.

Twelfth, Ricks clings to an unmanly quality of Never Own up to an Error. There are better men and women at the Washington Post than that. Dave Broder, for example. Ann Scott Tyson, for example. Henry Allen, for example. Don Graham, for example. Ricks instead has done the unmanly thing of hiding behind a few editors at the Post who hew to the "Never Apologize, Never Explain" doctrine that infects some Journalists. The ombudsman of the Post says he only does news, not opinion pieces. Ricks' editor at the Outlook Section has never explained why he let the journalistically weak piece get published in a Fine Newspaper. The Editorial Page editor still does not "get" the flaws of the Ricks writing. The topic -- Accountability for the Academies -- is superb and timely. The actual article is journalistically unprofessional and failed.

Ricks instead drifts along at stall-speed, so to speak, in denial -- unattractive in anyone but especially a journalist and author. Instead Ricks this week points out that the West Point class of 1976 with Raymond Odierno, Dave Rodriguez, and Stanley McChrystal had the travail of an Honor scandal -- a periodic event at USMA; but without mention that at West Point Honor is Real and the human condition means that humans fall short. The point is, West Point stands for and hews faithfully to Honor. And to Accountabilty and Transparency.

The Washington Post and Tom Ricks want the Military and the Academies to be Transparent and Accountable. But in this egregious case of awful journalism the Washington Post and Tom Ricks do not hold themselves to anything close to that Noble Standard.

The Editorial Page Editor and Outlook Editor of the Post and Ricks can Man-Up and apologize, at least to the young and innocent and good folks they wounded.

John Wheeler
USMA 66
wheelerusa@usa.net

If the obsessive/compulsive behavior exhibited by John Wheeler in reposting this comment multiple times under various unrelated topics is any indication of what the academies produce, then perhaps Ricks is right.

I'm confident that it's not indicative, but Wheeler is behaving disgracefully and is not reflecting credit upon the institution he wishes to defend. Means are important.

If Tom Ricks wants to travel with Soldiers and write about Soldiers, be In the Company of Soldiers, Tom Ricks has to Man Up and Act Like a Soldier, to respect them. He hides and runs and plays the Coward. Let me explain.

First, the English for your sign-in name is Mark the Bad, more or less :) Bueno, que tal, Caballero?

Anyway, Marcos, it helps to know not only your estimate of me, which you have made clear, but there is an intellectual and web community duty to respond to the merits of the argument I have made, since Ricks is trying, unmanfully, to hide and ignore what he has done. Remember, he used despicable means to make his unsupported points in his op-ed about getting rid of the Academies, and he has not apologized or owned up to error or even listed which Academies, for example, he has even ever visited.

He said get rid of the Academies, in a national newspaper that is respected and trusted, and he does not disclose that he has not visited all the Academies, nor that he actually has not been at any one long enough to know the different ethos and teaching approach of each.

Even worse, as to war colleges, he has no argument at all, just the assertion that he has 20 years of writing about war. As a little joke, that seems to be not 20 years' experience, but the same failed year 20 times :)

Would you be willing to comment on your opinion of a professional journalist who sweepingly says get rid of all the Academies not even, apparently, knowing how many there are, since he omits mention of USMMA and USCGA? He probably cannot name all the War Colleges. He certainly has not been to all of them. He has not given a web click for his cost data. He has no inkling, apparently, of the un-evenness and deficiencies that riddle the ROTC programs across the country.

You say the postings are off-topic. Look again. There is substance in the posting that sheds light on each topic, if you read with care. Moreover, the Posting shows Ricks for what he is: a professional Journalist who wrote an egregiously failed piece and will not answer the most basic questions about it, or acknowledge error, or provide substantiating systematic information, or apologize to young folks and other innocent whom he hurt.

For us seasoned codgers, so what. Ricks is just another Burp in Life. But he hit folks he should not have hit. He is paying and will continue to pay for that. He is famous now for his wrongheaded and vain failure and insult. He is unlikely to live it down soon among the military he purports to understand and write knowlegeably about. His failure is not the mistaken piece. His failure is one of Honor in not giving an accounting and providing facts and Manfully recognizing error.

Yes, I grab his carotid and make Ricks bleed for beating up on folks who can't hit back: young cadets and midshipmen and parents, prospects, and the dead.

This is not over. A man apologizes. A professional journalist acknowledges error. He has done neither. The argument on the merits set forth in the message that offends you makes that case, and you do not rebut it.

Maybe you are an Academy grad. Maybe you are a vet. Maybe WIA w PH. Who knows? Maybe you have empathy for the youngsters and others hurt by Ricks' words.

As for your disdain of me, well, Stand in Line,; Take a Number. Check it out: you can evaluate my work by visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. The Korean War Memorial. The Texas Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The still-thriving VVLP's in several states. Any chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The Delivery Rooms where newborns are tested to make sure at birth that they can hear, so that within a few decades deafness in the US will be a thing of the past, thanks to Cochlear Implants and Stem Cell Research. By luck and grace in my work life I have been able to lend a hand in all those efforts. Do your homework. Man up.

And Man Up: prove you have a brain and write a Defense of Ricks rebutting the actual arguments made in the posted note. I will acknowledge and apologize where my arguments in the Post are wrong. So show where they are wrong.

Who are you anyway, and what is your military service? You are a Service brat? Active Duty Gunny ? Let us know. Be Proud.

Luv Ya Man,

John Wheeler