Did LBJ Sneak Into Viet Nam?

[dbt]

I notice where yet another bu$h regime sockpuppet has made yet another "surprise visit to Iraq." Condo Lizard Reisssssssss has just popped in to check on our latest Catastrophic Successes, according to Reuters 5/15/05. Her unannounced visit follows similar moves by Rumsfeld, Semi-Colin Powell (who became half a man under bu$h, but that's another story), Wolfowitz and bu$hler himself, replete with plastic turkey.

We did not hear about any of these trips until they were over.

Googling has not helped on this point so far, but didn't Lyndon Johnson announce that he was going to the First Viet Nam to visit the troops some days in advance of said trip? I would swear I heard Uncle Walter tell me about it on the CBS Evening News, but I was maybe sixteen.

Bail me out here, fellow Geezers and Geezerettes. Didn't LBJ openly and publicly announce that he was going to Viet Nam? As opposed to this nest of Reptiles who won't tell us anything?

[slor]

1. Well if by "sneak", you mean...

"lie", then the answer is "Yes".

On edit: I did not read the entire post (sorry). I do not know if he snuck into Vietnam, but I am almost 100% sure that he did not bring a fake turkey along.

[Kire]

2. look kids, it's a surprise visit!

yay!!!

[Solly Mack]

3. Twice...

He went to visit the troops in 66 and 67, both times at Cam Ranh Bay

[MADem]

4. Here's a pic of him during the 66 visit

President Lyndon Johnson awards a medal to a wounded U.S. serviceman in Cam Rahn Bay, South Vietnam, October 26, 1966. Photo credit: Yoichi Okamoto

[dbt]

10. Thank you, Solly Mack and MADem!

Quite a contrast between LBJ (much as I disliked him) and bu$hler, no? Johnson as-much-as-said, "Fuck this, Ah'm goin to see our boys," but the Little King can only look like a Hero after the fact.

One wonders what bu$h is afraid of.

[Solly Mack]

11. 1 major difference is how Bush Inc promotes the "democracy is growing"

lie during a visit to Iraq...and after a visit.

Bush is promoting and funding a war/occupation(attrition)....but calling it everything but a war since his infamous "mission accomplished" speech...a rather bold claim that now has to be reinforced with sneak and peeks and glowing accounts of how well democracy is doing in Iraq.

I can picture a staff meeting "Well, it's your turn to go to Iraq"
and the person gets green around the gills at the thought. Even the pathological have a sense of their own survival...

[0007]

5. The mining companies that was after tungsten were the first

to sneak in Vietnam..same as in Korea.

[Thrasybulus]

6. Security, security, security.

I watched Les Gelb on Charlie Rose a few days ago and he stated that a major difference between what is going on now in Iraq and our previous conflicts--he mentioned Vietnam and Bosnia in particular--is the lack of control on the ground.

To paraphrase, one could walk around Saigon or Bosnia day or night in relative safety. Not so Iraq. We control no area where our troops aren't standing.

[malmapus]

7. Not sure if we control areas where they ARE standing either

Espicially with that one memo calling the entire country a combat zone.

[Toots]

8. Well to a degree you may be right

Cam Ranh Bay was basically safe.. Saigon was safe from VC or NVA but like any major city it certainly was not safe. There were what we called "Cowboys" Vietnamese teenagers in gangs who roamed the streets and mobsters were not unheard of. Get out into the country though and Vietnam was a Combat zone. Rockets were as likely to rain down upon you as not.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi Thrasybulus!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: