A rank injustice

[bemildred]

Year after year, the secretly recorded conversations of President Nixon continue to emerge, illuminating his troubled character and allowing us to better understand that portion of our nation's history. Sometimes, however, they are not enough to correct the record.

In the case of Air Force Gen. John D. Lavelle, tapes of a conversation between Nixon and then-national security advisor Henry Kissinger would seem to resolve one long historical debate. In 1972, Lavelle was blamed for ordering a secret bombing campaign against North Vietnam, a charge that cost him his four-star rank and forced his early retirement. Lavelle always maintained that he had been authorized to conduct the campaign, but it was only when the June 14, 1972, recording was released that a fuller version of the story was revealed. In it, Nixon confided to Kissinger that he had misgivings about forcing Lavelle to take the fall, and Kissinger agreed. "He had reason to believe that we wanted him to take aggressive steps," Kissinger said to Nixon. In that same conversation, Nixon recalled that he himself had urged the Joint Chiefs to "keep the pressure on" North Vietnam and said he did not want Lavelle to become "a goat."

"I don't want a man persecuted for doing what he thought was right," the president said. And yet Nixon, encouraged by Kissinger, allowed that to happen, standing by as Lavelle was stripped of his rank and forced to retire.

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Lavelle served his country for 32 years and took the blame for an action that the available evidence strongly suggests was authorized by his commander in chief. As the new Congress upholds its duty in this matter, it also might consider Kissinger's motives. For just as surely as the tapes vindicate Lavelle, they implicate Kissinger, first for his role in widening the bombing, then in allowing Lavelle to take the fall. The Senate should learn from the record, ignore Kissinger and restore Lavelle's reputation.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-lavelle-20110108,0,2182300.story

[Jefferson23]

1. Kissinger the schmuck, one can only hope the Senate will do right by Lavelle.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting.

[DCKit]

2. I'd rather see Henry on trial for war crimes. nt

[bemildred]

4. That was my take.

Why is that f**ker still walking around free?

[Jefferson23]

5. Well so would I but you know there is no damn chance in hell of that

happening.

Disregarding Henry
Both candidates kowtowed to the disgraceful Kissinger. Only Obama cited him correctly.

Posted Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008, at 10:32 AM ET

Henry Kissinger How extraordinary to find that, for two straight days, the American media would preoccupy themselves with the question of who had the greater right—in a debate over foreign-policy "experience," of all things—to quote Henry Kissinger. And how even more extraordinary that it should be the allegedly anti-war Democratic candidate who cited Kissinger with the most deference and, it even seems, the greater accuracy.

http://www.slate.com/id/2201130/

[jody]

3. Senior commanders are frequently betrayed by presidents, the most recent is David Petraeus. n/t

[DCKit]

6. It takes two to tango.

Regardless, Petraeus should have known he had a shitty dancing partner.

Others who held, or may have held his position knew better and either kept their heads down or resigned proactively.

[bemildred]

7. Overweening ambition will get you in trouble every time.

Tools get used. I don't want in any way to defend the way the Bushites used the US military for base political purposes, but Petraeus is where he is because he decided to go along and get along.