Tom the exterminator

James Heartfield Jim at heartfield.demon.co.uk
Tue Apr 9 08:22:03 PDT 2002


Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com>

[questioning whether it is right to say that America was defeated in Korea and Vietnam.]

"So in both cases, the "victors" were rendered poor & isolated for decades, and the loser went on to run the world. I'm going to have to rethink the definitions of these words now."

North Korea isolated itself, making enemies even of its own sponsors in the USSR and China, and impoverished itself through some destructive policies. It was never the case that military victory was going to reverse the economic or political standing of the USA and Vietnam. But say what you like about the subsequent punishments that the US visited on both those states, the US was defeated on the battlefield, and those defeats had the moral effect of diminishing US authority. -- James Heartfield The 'Death of the Subject' Explained is available at GBP11.00, plus GBP1.00 p&p from Publications, audacity.org, 8 College Close, Hackney, London, E9 6ER. Make cheques payable to 'Audacity Ltd'



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