> Justin Schwartz wrote:
>
> >Why not take the Pentagon's own word that the war aim was about 85% to
> >save and only about 10% to stop communism?
>
> I assume "face" was omitted there. What does "safe face" mean? In this
> context it means retaining your rep as an imperialist enforcer. Vietnam had
> to be pummelled or no one would ever take orders from the U.S. again.
> Stopping Communism and defending imperialism were pretty synonymous for a
> long time.
OK, but the Pentagon madea distinction. Communsim was less important than national prestige. --jks