The 'Vietnam Syndrome' and the Gulf War

     Some weeks ago we discussed Robert D. Heinl's article, "The
Collapse of the Armed Forces," and I spent some time discussing the
Vietnam War with you as an example of a war which, in my view, cannot
be understood unless one takes into account class
contradictions within American society. 

     In other words, and like the Vietnam War, it cannot be understood
from the perspective of "we", when "we" is understood to be "the
United States". Conflicting interests are at work.

     The Gulf War - like Vietnam?

     In the famous July 1990 conference between U.S. Ambassador to
Iraq April Glaspie and President Saddam Hussein of Iraq, the U.S.
Ambassador, speaking for the Administration of President George Bush,
gave the "green light" to Hussein to settle his differences with
Kuwait amongst themselves. She also hinted that a "lower price for
oil" was NOT what the US government (the Bush Administration,
remember) wanted at all!

     This is a fascinating topic. I have put the whole transcript of
this Glaspie-Hussein conference, straight from the New York Times, on
the web 
here.

     I've also discovered a pretty good web page on this issue. It is 
"Operation 
Desert Storm: Outright Disinformation Scheme".

     Please read BOTH pages carefully, including the selections from
the transcript. After studying them carefully, please write an
analysis of 300 words. Don't talk about whether you "believe" or "do
not believe" this; that's not analysis. Instead, please discuss

     * the issue of the class contradictions within the US: Whom does
American foreign policy benefit, and whom does it hurt? 
	
     		* in the case of Vietnam? 

		* in the case of the Gulf War?

     * reread the Butler piece which you have also read (you may go to
it 
here.  Butler also discusses class contraditions -- American
foreign policy as serving the rich but not the majority. How similar
is the situation Butler describes to the Vietnam or Gulf Wars? 

     Please email your 300 word analysis to your group, and to me.