quote:Originally posted by Brentenman:quote:Originally posted by Kindred_Spirit:quote:Originally posted by Brentenman:
The President of the USA is the commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces according to the Constitution of the USA.
Therefore, he can deploy troops and withdraw troops as he sees fit. Of course, preferably with Congressional approval. Congress can always kill the funding, as they did in 1975 when they refused to send aid to South Vietnam, resulting in North Vietnam overrunning South Vietnam, going against President Ford's wishes.
However, plenty of examples where Congress was not in the mix for troop/naval/air deployments other than Iraq (1990-91, 2003-present) and Vietnam:
Balkans-1990's
Somalia-1992
Panama-1989
Grenada-1983
Mayaguez rescue-1975
Korea-1950
Since WW2, the days, it seems, of declaring war is over, as the USA has not declared war on any country, and only Congress can do that. That is what happens when you have agreements and treaties with organizations such as the U.N., NATO, etc. where use of force is authorized under certain conditions.
We were pulling Troops away in 1973, ...
January 23, 1973:President Nixon announces that an agreement ahs been reached which will "end the war and bring peach with honor"
This was all taken from *** JANUARY 23. 1973 *** WHICH I might add, has more listings there about how many died (approx 3000 a year) How many injured (about 10,000 a year), plus many different timelines that sure brought back memories for me.
Now as far as the US declaring the proverbial "WAR"... you are right, even though we are IN war, it hasn't actually been declared...
They used to call those skirmish's, Cold Wars, and stuff like that.. They NEVER called Vietnam anything other than a COLD War....
Hope this URL is put in here right, it is really a good one for the actual history/facts of Vietnam.
That ended the war as far as U.S. involvement went, ground troops and air/naval forces that is. We still supported South Vietnam with aid and the like. When the commies came south in Spring 1975, Ford requested emergency aid for South Vietnam, Congress refused, and the South fell. The 2nd Indochina War ended as a result, with all of Vietnam reunified under a Communist regime, and Cambodia going into chaos; Pol Pot took over, and then the Killing Fields started in Cambodia, 'reeducation camps' started in southern Vietnam, and etc.....
Brentenman... I read the history of Vietnam... (also lived through the Era with a brother there and an Ex hubby who was enlisted)... anyways...
On that History site, it clearly states that:
April 23, 1975 - 100,000 NVA soldiers advance on Saigon which is now overflowing with refugees. On this same day, President Ford gives a speech at Tulane University stating the conflict in Vietnam is "a war that is finished as far as America is concerned."
We knew many years before the actual END, that it was a no-win situation... Westmorland KNEW he was sending our boys over there to die or be maimed... the COLD WAR of Vietnam was totally Political... MONEY.... nothing else.
No were on the Internet, nor in my Memory banks do I remember ever hearing Ford requesting emergancy aid... when we were out, we were out... our (THEN) Leaders KNEW what was going to happen, they KNEW the North was going to take over, they just didn't know exactly how long it would take.
The URL I provided also has (ON FORD'S COMMENT IN APRIL 1975) a 'contained' URL on his speech.
And another thing, Iraq sure is looking like a Power, Money, Political kind of war to me, and not only to me, but about 68-70% of the United States.... I think the (NOW) Leaders know exactly what is going to be the oucome, already.