Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: CNN Tonight: The Assassination of JFK [View all]mattclearing
(10,091 posts)125. Robert Kennedy Jr's story this week contradicts this entirely:
Defying such pressures, JFK, in the spring of 1962, told McNamara to order the Joint Chiefs to begin planning for a phased withdrawal that would disengage the U.S. altogether. McNamara later told an assistant secretary of defense that the president intended to "close out Vietnam by '65 whether it was in good shape or bad."
On May 8th, 1962, following JFK's orders, McNamara instructed a stunned Gen. Paul Harkins "to devise a plan for bringing full responsibility [for the Vietnam War] over to South Vietnam." Mutinous, the general ignored the order until July 23rd, 1962, when McNamara again commanded him to produce a plan for withdrawal. The brass returned May 6th, 1963, with a half-baked proposal that didn't complete withdrawal as quickly as JFK had wanted. McNamara ordered them back yet again.
On September 2nd, 1963, in a televised interview, JFK told the American people he didn't want to get drawn into Vietnam. "In the final analysis, it is their war," he said. "They are the ones who have to win or lose it. We can help them, we can give them equipment. We can send our men out there as advisers, but they have to win it, the people of Vietnam."
Six weeks before his death, on October 11th, 1963, JFK bypassed his own National Security Council and had Bundy issue National Security Action Memorandum 263, making official policy the withdrawal from Vietnam of the bulk of U.S. military personnel by the end of 1965, beginning with "1,000 U.S. military personnel by the end of 1963." On November 14th, 1963, a week before Dallas, he announced at a press conference that he was ordering up a plan for "how we can bring Americans out of there." The morning of November 21st, as he prepared to leave for Texas, he reviewed a casualty list for Vietnam indicating that more than 100 Americans to date had died there. Shaken and angry, JFK told his assistant press secretary Malcolm Kilduff, "It's time for us to get out. The Vietnamese aren't fighting for themselves. We're the ones doing the fighting. After I come back from Texas, that's going to change. There's no reason for us to lose another man over there. Vietnam is not worth another American life."
On May 8th, 1962, following JFK's orders, McNamara instructed a stunned Gen. Paul Harkins "to devise a plan for bringing full responsibility [for the Vietnam War] over to South Vietnam." Mutinous, the general ignored the order until July 23rd, 1962, when McNamara again commanded him to produce a plan for withdrawal. The brass returned May 6th, 1963, with a half-baked proposal that didn't complete withdrawal as quickly as JFK had wanted. McNamara ordered them back yet again.
On September 2nd, 1963, in a televised interview, JFK told the American people he didn't want to get drawn into Vietnam. "In the final analysis, it is their war," he said. "They are the ones who have to win or lose it. We can help them, we can give them equipment. We can send our men out there as advisers, but they have to win it, the people of Vietnam."
Six weeks before his death, on October 11th, 1963, JFK bypassed his own National Security Council and had Bundy issue National Security Action Memorandum 263, making official policy the withdrawal from Vietnam of the bulk of U.S. military personnel by the end of 1965, beginning with "1,000 U.S. military personnel by the end of 1963." On November 14th, 1963, a week before Dallas, he announced at a press conference that he was ordering up a plan for "how we can bring Americans out of there." The morning of November 21st, as he prepared to leave for Texas, he reviewed a casualty list for Vietnam indicating that more than 100 Americans to date had died there. Shaken and angry, JFK told his assistant press secretary Malcolm Kilduff, "It's time for us to get out. The Vietnamese aren't fighting for themselves. We're the ones doing the fighting. After I come back from Texas, that's going to change. There's no reason for us to lose another man over there. Vietnam is not worth another American life."
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/john-f-kennedys-vision-of-peace-20131120
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
154 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
Nothing weird at all. Ellsberg gained classified status. The others in the digital era did, too.
ancianita
Nov 2013
#94
Not a single person with classified status could uncover missing physical evidence or interview
ancianita
Nov 2013
#97
Not the CT's of that time. There's no "obsession" going on. There's the abiding knowledge that truth
ancianita
Nov 2013
#96
When I said it was bullshit, I was referring to the CT "magic" aspect. Not the single bullet theory.
Gravitycollapse
Nov 2013
#44
Yeah. So then why was someone impersonating him on the phone to the Soviets and Cubans?
Warren DeMontague
Nov 2013
#122
Please don't confuse habitual rejection of reality with questioning authority
Gravitycollapse
Nov 2013
#42
Is it OK to totally ignore evidence and embrace fantasy just because you feel like it?
stopbush
Nov 2013
#52
Mopping up the scene of the crime doesn't take competence. Steering a commission to make
ancianita
Nov 2013
#100
I wasn't there and I didn't see it. I would like to delve into it. 50 years ago, all I could gather
ancianita
Nov 2013
#108
It might help to stop acting as though it's impossible to prove you're right.
nyquil_man
Nov 2013
#121
There is. Opening the National Archives. Re-opening this cold case and allowing digital sleuths to
ancianita
Nov 2013
#123
Setting up classified parameters above their pay grade. It's not as if the commission had
ancianita
Nov 2013
#127
Well, when you get to restate other people's arguments in such a facile way,
Bolo Boffin
Nov 2013
#27
The problem CT's have is with the evidence processing and lack of transparency and archiving
ancianita
Nov 2013
#99
You realize that the Warren Commission didn't just produce a single volume report, yes?
nyquil_man
Nov 2013
#130
Much later I learned that, yes, while involved in single parent and job struggles.
ancianita
Nov 2013
#131
Then I forgot. I was in high school that year, but got a single summary volume when at FSU
ancianita
Nov 2013
#134
Darby's Affidavit pertaining to the print match is an exhibit in the book Blood, Money & Power
Samantha
Nov 2013
#63
Oh, sorry. Yes, I thought it was good that it was brought up and just added my 2¢.
stopbush
Nov 2013
#90
JFK escalated our involvement in Nam from 400 military advisers to over 16,000.
stopbush
Nov 2013
#54
This is a discussion about JFK's assassination, not the Vietnam war, but to address your point
Samantha
Nov 2013
#55
I am 59 years old and was subject to the draft, even though the war was winding down.
stopbush
Nov 2013
#56
For a person who has no qualms about accusing LBJ of planning to have JFK killed,
stopbush
Nov 2013
#75
There is a HUGE difference between stating an opinion and making a public accusation of guilt
Samantha
Nov 2013
#85
I have just reread the entire Wikipedia page on the HSCA. Nowhere does it say the HSCA retracted
stopbush
Nov 2013
#86
Speaking of quotes, here's one from JFK's Ft Worth speech the day he was killed:
stopbush
Nov 2013
#145
Perhaps you think this reflection on past policy negates what I have posted. I don't see how. n/t
mattclearing
Nov 2013
#146
The fact LBJ put together a blue ribbon commission to investigate is all I need to know...
Drunken Irishman
Nov 2013
#76
It was, as expected, an MSM promotion of the 'Official Story' which is the real CT.
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#62
The same Corporate MSM who are pushing the Warren Report also pushed the official
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#82
Guess it's true if the world's largest media conglomerate and their talking heads say it is, then.
ancianita
Nov 2013
#92
Yes. The evidence. Living through an event like that and knowing that not all the evidence was made
ancianita
Nov 2013
#112
Heh heh. Sure. Profit allows for a lot of play. They don't have to make up their minds
ancianita
Nov 2013
#128
When you have the time Google "where was George H. W. Bush when JFK was murdered.
Booster
Nov 2013
#101
Really? A letter from Arlen Specter? Your right, I am not going to read more about Arlen Specter.
GoneFishin
Nov 2013
#132
Your logic is circular. Arlen Specter was involved in developing the magic bullet theory.
GoneFishin
Nov 2013
#140