A Vietnam Lesson
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Lest we become too giddy over the Iraqi election, we should reflect on a painful analogy. On Sept. 3, 1967, Nguyen Van Thieu was elected president of South Vietnam. Although intimidated by a vicious insurgency, a remarkable 80% of eligible voters participated. Buoyed by the result, American priorities shifted to training the South Vietnamese to defend themselves. More than 40,000 Americans died between President Thieu’s election and the collapse of the South Vietnamese army.
Elections did not cause that disaster. Instead, they demonstrated that isolated successes in democratic institutions may be insignificant if original policy goals are based on lies, deceit and military might.
David Rubenson
Los Angeles
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