Lessons About Pakistan From Vietnam

[erpowers]

Should U.S. government officials look at Vietnam during the Eisenhower years as a cautionary tale on how to deal with Pakistan? I understand it is very easy to link situations in different countries when no link exists, but I believe the current situation in Pakistan is in some ways similar to the situation in Vietnam during the Eisenhower years. In the book The Best and the Brightest David Halberstam wrote, "Four years of American aid, half a billion dollars a year, had had little effect on the war. It raised the level of violence". I realize that Halberstam was talking about the war the French were waging against the Vietnamese and in that war we supported the French, but I still think some things are similar. For at least since 2001 the United States has given about $1 billion dollars per year in foreign aid to Pakistan, but the results have been few. In fact, things have gotten worse. I do not think we should put troops on the ground in Pakistan, but it seems the government may need to do something other than just give the Pakistani government money.

The reason for my first question is I wonder if the U.S. government should look at Vietnam to realize that just throwing money at a problem may not make it go away. The government may have to look at other things to do in order to solve this problem.

[anonymous171]

1. I don't care about Pakistan. I do care about their nukes however.

If they go under we should probably do something about them.

[Taitertots]

2. Bombing Hanoi caused the North to capitulate

Should we carpet bomb Islamabad?

[erpowers]

3. No Calling for Bombing

I am not calling for bombing or invading the country. I just think maybe the leadership needs to think about whether the money that is being put into Pakistan is providing any results. Bombing and invading are not the only alternatives to giving money to Pakistan.

[Taitertots]

4. It is the lesson of Vietnam

That and you have to honor your treaties. They capitulated, had we honored our treaties instead of cutting and running we could have dramatically helped the South.


So are you suggesting that we give them more or less money? Or that we need to make the money conditional on Pakistan fighting islamic extremism instead of supporting it.