In Gore Vidal's 2002 book, "Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace," he has twenty pages where he lists conflicts with U.S. Forces Involved, starting with The Berlin Airlift in 1948 and ending with Determined Force in Kosovo, 1999. The list includes clashes in every part of the globe, including Counterdrug Operations which notes action in a few US states, as well as other countries.
What makes this section fascinating is the extraordinary names assigned to the operations.
Some terms which recur are: Hope, Guard, Guardian, Determined, Decisive and Deliberate. Marketing military attacks requires imagination. Here are just a few examples - some are quite interesting: Operation Tailwind, Laos (1970); Operation Pocket Money, North Vietnam (1972); Eastern Exit (1991) Provide Relief (1992), Restore Hope (1993) all in Somalia. I believe the Pirates won those! Since 2000, Vidal could add quite a few big ones to the list. However, if you wish to read the other 19 pages from Vidal's book, you'll have to visit the library!
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I just wanted to bring this to your attention, in case you missed it:
ReplyDeleteU.S. will determine who can board some Canadian flights
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/gets+which+Canadians/2639893/story.html
This, to me, is outrageous! It's bad enough to have American customs on our turf. Now, they're going to tell us who can and can't fly? I know the NAU is already here, but this is no "union"; this is bullying. Plus, this will add to American airline woes. Between this, naked body scanners, and the TSA, who wants to travel there anymore?
Don't know who you are, Ron, but I totally agree with your sentiments. I haven't entered the USA for many years.I am afraid that my sense of humour might get me into trouble - or that shed at the border the US customs asks one to step into! If I want sunshine, I go to Cuba!
ReplyDeleteIt is very easy to knock the Americans. However, if we take a look at the American withdrawal from Vietnam we will see that it led to the take over of Cambodia by Pot Pol and his band of murdering savages. While the US was active in SEA the Khmer Rouge were hiding out somewhere near the Thai border. With the retreat of the Americans they were able to take over Cambodia carry out their madness.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog.
Peter
Thank you, Peter. Enough of this pathos for Americans. They love it! They thrive on it!
ReplyDeleteEmpires just suck it up
Is "Ron" your buddy here in Montreal?
D
I hate to be a rabble-rouser (sp?), but I think it's common knowledge that the U.S. government(read: CIA)/Kissinger (and other allies) was complicit in the holocaust of Cambodia and in league with Pol Pot. Of course, the intricacies of geo-politics cannot be summed up in a "blog reply", but a good place to start researching (if interested) is here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/190/39190.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b0K5Vt7TRQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhYVk_Mttz8&feature=related
Just to clear up any confusion, I am in Montreal, but I don't know if I know Peter. I know a couple of Peters, but I don't think this is either one of them. I am a friend of Jillian, though.