Bill Moyers Plays LBJ Tapes, Draws Similarities With Obama And Afghanistan War

On Friday night, Bill Moyers played clips from the Lyndon B. Johnson tapes on his PBS television show. Moyers drew correlations between the factors facing President Johnson in his decision to send more troops to Vietnam, and President Obama's conundrum with respect to the war in Afghanistan.

From his closing statement:

Now in a different world, at a different time, and with a different president, we face the prospect of enlarging a different war. But once again we're fighting in remote provinces against an enemy who can bleed us slowly and wait us out, because he will still be there when we are gone.

Once again, we are caught between warring factions in a country where other foreign powers fail before us. Once again, every setback brings a call for more troops, although no one can say how long they will be there or what it means to win. Once again, the government we are trying to help is hopelessly corrupt and incompetent.

And once again, a President pushing for critical change at home is being pressured to stop dithering, be tough, show he's got the guts, by sending young people seven thousand miles from home to fight and die, while their own country is coming apart.

View Moyer's introduction to the tapes below, and visit his website to watch the entire program.

Comments

[Enliberate]

Thank you, Bill Moyers. Chilling stuff. I really don't hear Johnson agonizing over whether or not to go in. He's already decided, and just trying to convince people. Having made a pact with the Devil (and you may interpret that statement any way you wish) he realizes he's going to have to see it through. I noticed one rather weak assertion (to Mansfield?) that Eisenhower wanted us in,, and Kennedy put forces there, but, that's a misrepresentation. Kennedy was trying like hell to get out. Johnson knows he's the turning point. No wonder he lasted just that one full term. Living in that kind of intense moral denial must take a toll. LBJ appeared rather broken in the end, you may recall.

[BannedNBoston]

Bill Moyers documented on his show the US has 5 groups against US.
A druglord gets a truckload confiscated it retaliates with a IED attack this is blamed
on the "TALIBAN" The "NORTHERN ALLIANCE is now against us and is getting more funds
to attack US every day.

[Liberal2]

It's more like *NIXON* and the Vietnam war. Nixon wanted to end the war with "honor" and a sense of "accomplishment". And all it cost was 250 billion dollars and 25,000 more American death.

[trigggur]

Can any American President ever reel in the Military Industrial Complex ? It is safe to say Democrats in Congress will not do so. And we know (what Obama should): that Republicans are quite willing to see Afghanistan end Obama's Presidency, which escalation will accomplish. The only chance we have of getting out is the glaring shortage of troops, the most significant difference from Viet Nam. Perhaps reinstating the draft would help clarify reality.

[HLL]

Right on, Mr. Moyers.

Two weeks ago Rachel Maddow interviewed an author who's written a book comparing Afghanistan and Vietnam - and the eerily similar pressures on both presidents JFK and Obama.

JFK, as we know, refused to escalate Vietnam (and was assassinated), but LBJ did.

I believe Obama was elected on the hope that he might be another JFK - so far, not so good.

[USAFVET76]

Madow? Uggggggggggggggggg.

[romdrom]

I can see she's too articulate for you.

[MadHeart]

I am going to miss Bill Moyers who helped keep me sane during the Bush years. As an old Vietnam War protestor, I'm furious about both Iraq and Afghanistan. Please, President Obama, do not make those wars your inherited legacy! Remember George Santayana's excellent admonition because too few others do.

[mortsdil]

I made a comment earlier and wrote an e-mail requesting a free copy of the Bill Moyers Journal from November 20th, intending to view again and then share the DVD with my local community college. The e-male link didn't work for me however, so I contacted the MOYERS show directly to request a "work around" to link with the Huffington Post to get the DVD to view again and share. Hope it works. The show was brilliant. I wish Moyers could live forever. Thanks.

[USAFVET76]

Obama is in a pickle. And he can't vote Present. This is one time in his political life he will have to demonstrate some convictions. And that's difficult for a man that has walked the popular side of politics his entire life. His puppeteer Valerie Jarrett is considering the decision she will dictate that he will eventually make.

I hope we pull out and find a method to protect the nukes in Pakistan. Of course the women of Afghanistan will be back in caveman era once we're gone.

[notyourlawyer]

This link might actually work.
Sorry!

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/11/19/midday2/

[notyourlawyer]

Here's another voice I wish Obama would listen to. Sarah Chayes lives in Afghanistan, understands the politics and culture. And has some very clear views on the regime and how we are perceived by the Afghani people.

If you've got the time - listen. The speech was delivered this past thurs in minneapolis.

Sarah Chayes, former NPR correspondent in Afghanistan.

minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/11/19/midday2/ - 2009-11-19

[TJCole]

Those Tapes of LBJ speaking too all these others about Vietnam were great Tonight..!

The Entire Nation Should See This..!

People would see how Obama is getting squeezed into the same wrong decision by the same people for the most part, and interests, that thousands of others will pay for with their lives...!

History Repeating Itself....

[normalintexas]

Mr. Moyers: Another brilliant piece. Where all others in the media report or preach to the American public as if we were incapable of comprehending anything above third grade you never insult our intelligence. I hope you are going to continue making documentaries or write. We need you.

[hark]

The presentation by Bill Moyers was positively eerie, an unforgettable demonstration of deja vu all over again.

Our wars are turning into a Groundhog Day horror flick.

LBJ knew he was in a trap that he couldn't escape from. That surprised me. So it makes it even more ignoble and stupid that we are doing it to ourselves all over again.

Obama shot himself in the foot by declaring the "war" in Afghanistan the good war, the necessary war.

[RTIII]

"My Fellow Americans, at this point in history we are asked to increase the scale of a war which we entered with good cause and with vital interest. At such a time, should pause and reflect on the conflict.

"It's clear to me that we have experienced 'Mission Creep', and the goals we once held - eliminating al Quaeda in Afghanistan, and capturing Osama bin Laden if possible - has been replaced with another, eliminating the Taliban.

"After careful analysis, it is clear that Osama bin Laden is no longer in Afghanistan and the Taliban are no longer hiding him, which was our original reason for conflict with them. Further, we have accomplished our goals regarding the elimination of al Quaeda in Afghanistan with estimates of their presence now less than 100 individuals. Yet, our new goal is neither a vital interest of our country, nor is it reasonably achievable without a decades long struggle costing trillions of dollars and uncountable numbers of our service personnel.

"Therefore, I am today, declaring victory over al Quaeda, am rejecting the mission-creep agenda of defeating the Taliban, and am bringing the troops home, with a graceful exit, and I have directed our Generals to extract the bulk of our forces within six months from today. American Special Forces will be employed to ensure that al Quaeda does not return to Afghanistan, and we will be ready with a new strategy against them, should a renewed conflict become necessary."
.

[ajax2]

Perfect, you're hired.

[RTIII]

Thank you.
.

[James Croteau]

I would hope that Obama gets to read what you just wrote, and then comes on the tv and reads it to the american people.

[RTIII]

Thank you.

You know, The Pres said he was going to make an announcement on this after Thanksgiving. There might actually be time to get this to him and your support - along with ajax2 - has prompted me to actually send it to him - very slightly improved, of course. -smile-
.

[zootliberal]

You nailed it. Please let this be what Obama has to say to us soon.

[dana94591]

This was chilling show to listen to and watch. LBJ and all the actors in the disaster that was Vietnam were clueless and operating with such ignorance that it is breathtaking!