> It isn't myth:
>back in February of 1968 a Colonel really did announce to a
>TV camera that they had to destroy the village to save it.
But be fair, Carrol: that statement has become the canonical example of mindless fanaticism, on par with the canonical definition: redoubling one's efforts after losing sight of the goal.
I expect that after he sobered up, that man would have given anything to take back his words. It's not everyone who enjoys making himself the poster child for militaristic stupidity.