Oldsters remember the troubles of 1968 and much of the world's disgust with the Vietnam War. They remember their surprise when President Johnson announced he was not running for another term. Nixon took advantage of the unpopularity of the war to stage a big political comeback. In a couple years you could hear a song on the radio: "Tin soldiers and Nixon comin', 4 dead in Ohio."
The Vietnam War had become the new president's war. "Peace with honor" was the trap that Nixon fell into.
The Duran laid out the Neocons agenda for the next couple months: how to turn the Ukraine debacle into Trump's debacle. In his first term as president, he would have fallen for that trap. Will he be smarter this time around?
Ahh dear. I must try to be hopeful without letting my expectations become naive.
When the Biden administration started off by withdrawing American troops from the Afghan quagmire, he took a lot of criticism for how it was done. But most Americans were happy to see it end.
Trump has it easier than Nixon or Biden: no American troops are in Ukraine, officially at least. He could argue that the deadbeat, freeloading Europeans take over the support of Ukraine.
He could argue that the expansion of NATO that started 30 years was a mistake by a former governor of Arkansas who had no foreign policy or military experience. Trump could argue that the coup in 2014 that overthrew Ukraine's legitimate government was another mistake by another Democrat president.
He could criticize all the mistakes the new Kiev regime made since 2014, culminating in the Russian invasion of 2022.
He could show that it makes a difference when American voters 'vote the rascals out' and choose a new president.
But the neocons will try to trap him with the go slow, go gradual, "peace with honor" approach.
Comments
I too hope he is smarter. He does have a couple things going for him; he will not be running for reelection and he will have a (R) House and Senate. Therefore, he can say to hell with your go slow and "peace with honor". Impeach me!