Yesterday, the controversial book written by Washington journalist Bob Woodward was released to the general public. A prevailing theme has emerged from the various policy debates within the president's national security team over what course of action should the U.S. pursue in Afghanistan; which is the legacy of Vietnam.
Often throughout the book, the legacy of Vietnam has haunted this administration and references are made to a book that President Obama had his staff read, "Lessons in Disaster" by Gordon Goldstein. This chronicles the unending lessons of how the U.S. was slowly dragged into Vietnam, unfortunately it only gives part of the history of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
The other book the president should have had his staff read which, is the second part of the Vietnam War, the one after the Tet offensive of 1968 is, "A Better War," written by Lewis Sorley, that chronicles the successful counterinsurgency strategy instituted by General Creighton Abrams. His strategy proved successful, but a war weary public and Congress wanted nothing to do with Vietnam.
One has to be careful when analyzing history, especially politicians who often take the wrong lessons and apply them to today's events.
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