According to Joseph Campbell, the LBJ quote is an urban legend. See, for instance:

https://mediamythalert.wordpress.com/2012/07/09/chris-matthews-invokes-if-ive-lost-cronkite-media-myth-in-nyt-review/

I saw the Cronkite editorial in Vietnam. My opinion at that time was that he gave voice to what everybody already knew. Had he said “we’re winning” he would have been off television within a week.

The editorial was not the turning point of the war. The Tet offensive was.

Before Tet broke the main thrust was the “border war” which included Khe San and references to Dien Bien Phu. The point was that Tet made that strategy pointless. And, additionally, we had no strategy that would prevent another Tet in five or ten years time.

Is Bolton a more important political power base than Iraq and stopping what they call Bush’s “recklessness” in Iraq? Or are the Democrats cowards, who side with the strong horse? Manipulating Democrats is easier than manipulating terrorists, people.

What Grimmy says is true, Neo. You have only seen a small small portion of the overhwelming battle jutsu of the American military and economic power. It is like doing a pull up with 2 fingers on one hand. You got 3 more fingers to put into the game.

Unk is correct. Bush should have taken advantage of the cowardice of the Democrats to be a loyal anything, and conducted a reign of terror in Baghdad. That would have made Bush popular amongst Americans, and he wouldn’t have so many leaks in his branch of the gov. It would also have helped in Iraq, and silenced Democrat opposition.

One Democrat obstruction was when Murtha tagged some pork in a Defense bill, so that the President couldn’t veto it without vetoing the entire defense budget. The pork was to get Murtha more political and personal power. If the President had shut down the power of the Democrats with veto intimidations and execute writ order enforcement, the President wouldn’t be besieged on all sides at the moment.

Okay, some academics have said that the North Vietnamese TET offensive was actually unsuccessful, and that Cronkite’s broadcast helped to turn the tide of the war against America and the South.

There. My sources are as good as yours. Happy?

Sally, gave it a shot, although it’s very clear to me that until the last election Bush neither asked for nor wanted Democratic support, or even pretended to. Nor to hear from ANY one that wasn’t already in agreement with his course of action.

Too bad Cronkite didn’t have Bunny Rabbit and Mr. Moose to keep him honest. The impact of his Tet editorial might have been tempered a bit if someone had thought to dump some ping-pong balls on his head when he finished.

Here’s an idea – all journalists must now have puppet sidekicks. Somebody call Brian Henson…

No, I’d prefer that you said “free rein”, as that is the correct phrasing. “Rein” as in “control of horses with reins”.

Seems your beloved academics failed in their duty with you.

Name one thing that the Bush administration wanted to do in Iraq that was blocked by the Democratic minority, or Congress in general, ESPECIALLY regarding troop levels in Iraq.

You can’t because there isn’t one. Bush has had free reign over the mission in Iraq. (You would prefer I said “free ring” perhaps?)

As for the academics, it’s easy to make fun of their tweed jackets. A bit more difficult to challenge the truthfulness any of the points raised above, or I assume you would have done so.

There are only 2 exit strategies. No mater where, when or how of the battle/war, this holds true:
1. Victory
2. Defeat.

Anything else is the product of delusion.

One requires a vanguished enemy, Two requries our own vanquishing.

There’s been some here and else where spouting nonesense about the US military being so preoccupied with Iraq that other aspects of the GWOT are left unaddressed. Bull.

We’ve had and in most cases continue to have active engagements in Central America, South and Central Asia, Horn of Africa and African continent. Just because you’re not hearing about them every day does not mean its not happening. Everything told to us also gets told to the enemy at the very same moment. Some folk are grown up enough to understand that and make sure they keep their cake holes shut and dont draw the domestic enemy’s (MSM)attention.

Korea? Not a heavy issue, troop commitment wise. The blithly unaware, and largely uneducatable will be surpised to learn that South Korea has a massively capable military. We’ll help with strat and tac air interdiction but not too much else would be required.

Syria? Iran? Truth. A single division, well equiped and supplied would walk through either of those nations from end to end without much chance of serious problem.

Seriously. If needed, a pair of divisions (for rotation, refit, rest purposes) if properly supplied and supported by air and not so overly concerned with civilian casualty issues could fight their way from the west coast of Turkey to the east coast of Indonesia. We are that good. Nothing can stop us on the ground except for nukes and the ever growing cult of cowardice at home.