What ever your political opinions this was a man who dedicated his life to the service of his country.

And also an extremely brave one.

An excerpt from Haig's official Army citation follows:

When two of his companies were engaged by a large hostile force, Colonel Haig landed amid a hail of fire, personally took charge of the units, called for artillery and air fire support and succeeded in soundly defeating the insurgent force...the next day a barrage of 400 rounds was fired by the Viet Cong, but it was ineffective because of the warning and preparations by Colonel Haig. As the barrage subsided, a force three times larger than his began a series of human wave assaults on the camp. Heedless of the danger himself, Colonel Haig repeatedly braved intense hostile fire to survey the battlefield. His personal courage and determination, and his skillful employment of every defense and support tactic possible, inspired his men to fight with previously unimagined power. Although his force was outnumbered three to one, Colonel Haig succeeded in inflicting 592 casualties on the Viet Cong... (HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 2318 (May 22, 1967)

Wiki.

Another of the old Cold War warriors gone, imagine the "tell all" book he could have written.

RIP

From the Huffington Post.....

"Former Secretary of State Alexander Haig is now posthumously being recast as the quintessential soldier-patriot. The truth is, he had a dark side: wiretapping for Richard Nixon, facilitating the operations of a military spy ring that stole classified documents from the White House, sabotaging peace negotiations over Vietnam and détente with the USSR, and unduly hastening Nixon's exit from office. Haig is most lauded as the man who, according to conventional wisdom, held the presidency together during the depths of Watergate. But that evaluation obscures Haig's true role in the Nixon White House. ....."

"....Haig quickly learned how to curry favor with Nixon: by feeding the president's need to be bellicose. The White House tapes reveal Haig as the ultimate sycophant, urging Nixon to smite the enemy in Vietnam, unleash the bombs, stand tough against the Soviets, and, not incidentally, to keep Kissinger in his place -- all in the violent, pusillanimous language that philosopher Lionel Rubinoff so aptly labeled "the pornography of power." Nixon rewarded Haig with one star, two stars, four stars....."

".....Furthering the militarist agenda, Haig facilitated the operations of a military spy ring that stole classified national security documents from Kissinger and from the National Security Council, and therefore from the president, and conveyed them to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the purpose of slowing the détente express. The JCS leaked some classified information to the press, embarrassing Nixon and coming close to capsizing U.S. policy toward the India and Pakistan, then at war with each other. On December 21, 1971, when the stunned Nixon learned of the existence of the spy ring, he labeled it "a federal offense of the highest order." For political reasons, he decided not to prosecute anyone for it; and, oblivious to Haig's involvement because of a bureaucratic slip-up, gave him more and more responsibilities. ...."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-shachtma...e_b_470706.html

Aren't all those ex Viet Nam top brass rather dodgy?

The Huffinton Post!

The Huffinton Post!

Are you suggesting that their article is false?

Like all blogs, opinion only.

The true facts have probably gone to the grave with him.

Like all blogs, opinion only.

The true facts have probably gone to the grave with him.

Is the Huffington Post merely a blog?

The Huffinton Post!

Are you suggesting that their article is false?

That's like listening to Rush Limbaugh after Bill Clinton dies for the details of his legacy.

Like all blogs, opinion only.

The true facts have probably gone to the grave with him.

Is the Huffington Post merely a blog?

I suppose all obituaries come down to personal opinion of the deceased.

Like all blogs, opinion only.

The true facts have probably gone to the grave with him.

Is the Huffington Post merely a blog?

the hp is a perfect example of what is far left on very issue.

Arianna Huffington was married to bisexual Republican Congressman (aren't they all?) Michael Huffington for ten years.

Even if she's embittered by what must have been a fairly limited amount of right wing action I wouldn't exactly call her publication "far" left.

Arianna Huffington was married to bisexual Republican Congressman (aren't they all?) Michael Huffington for ten years.

Even if she's embittered by what must have been a fairly limited amount of right wing action I wouldn't exactly call her publication "far" left.

A simmilar accusation of "extreme left" was recently levelled at members of this forum!

If "far left" is offensive to some posters, would absolute nut-cases be preferable?

If "far left" is offensive to some posters, would absolute nut-cases be preferable?

Sorry....I don't follow the logic?

There are a few posters on this sight - and I am not refering to you - who might not consider themselves "left-wing" - but their opinions and their posts come straight from outer space.

There are a few posters on this sight - and I am not refering to you - who might not consider themselves "left-wing" - but their opinions and their posts come straight from outer space.

I think the term you used was "extreme", and I doubt that I need to differentiate to you the difference between "extreme left-wing", and "left-wing without the adjective".

I forget if it was this thread where I asked you....."would that be the outer space to the left or the right of Earth?"

You declined to respond.

Anyone who is left-wing and thinks that the US government was behind 9/11 is extreme. There are more than one such nutcases that post here on a regular basis.

Anyone who is left-wing and thinks that the US government was behind 9/11 is extreme. There are more than one such nutcases that post here on a regular basis.

That statement is quite absolute . Both sentences.

Arianna Huffington was married to bisexual Republican Congressman (aren't they all?) Michael Huffington for ten years.

Even if she's embittered by what must have been a fairly limited amount of right wing action I wouldn't exactly call her publication "far" left.

From an American perspective the HP is further to the left than Obama. From a European or Aussie perspective apparently it isn't very left at all.

Anyone who is left-wing and thinks that the US government was behind 9/11 is extreme. There are more than one such nutcases that post here on a regular basis.

Please point out these nut cases & their posts

Cuckoo for Cocao Puffs!

At the end of the day Haig was a soldier who chose to go into battle; he did not hide behind a desk or retreat to the safety of the rear. He was willing to die and fight for what he believed to be right and just. There are many men in this world who have faced a demon or two but not all of us have faced someone who has the ability to end our life with the simple pull of a trigger. I have known many who have, most of the ones that have killed are modest men who walk softly, speak quietly and are typically not glib about death. I think it is a shame that the men who fought in Vietnam returned home to a radical left calling them names like baby killer, rapist etc... They deserved better. Over time I have noticed it is usually the cowards that speak the loudest and I don’t mean the cowards who dodge the draft but the cowards who are afraid to stand up and fight but will slander and abuse those that do from the safety of the internet or press.

At the end of the day Haig was a soldier who chose to go into battle; he did not hide behind a desk or retreat to the safety of the rear. He was willing to die and fight for what he believed to be right and just. There are many men in this world who have faced a demon or two but not all of us have faced someone who has the ability to end our life with the simple pull of a trigger. I have known many who have, most of the ones that have killed are modest men who walk softly, speak quietly and are typically not glib about death. I think it is a shame that the men who fought in Vietnam returned home to a radical left calling them names like baby killer, rapist etc... They deserved better. Over time I have noticed it is usually the cowards that speak the loudest and I don’t mean the cowards who dodge the draft but the cowards who are afraid to stand up and fight but will slander and abuse those that do from the safety of the internet or press.

Agree 100% maccaroni. Well put.

I demand a swab!

How about some Cocoa Puffs!

At the end of the day Haig was a soldier who chose to go into battle; he did not hide behind a desk or retreat to the safety of the rear. He was willing to die and fight for what he believed to be right and just. There are many men in this world who have faced a demon or two but not all of us have faced someone who has the ability to end our life with the simple pull of a trigger. I have known many who have, most of the ones that have killed are modest men who walk softly, speak quietly and are typically not glib about death. I think it is a shame that the men who fought in Vietnam returned home to a radical left calling them names like baby killer, rapist etc... They deserved better. Over time I have noticed it is usually the cowards that speak the loudest and I don't mean the cowards who dodge the draft but the cowards who are afraid to stand up and fight but will slander and abuse those that do from the safety of the internet or press.

I will just point out, as people often forget, that it is not slander if it is true.

At the end of the day Haig was a soldier who chose to go into battle; he did not hide behind a desk or retreat to the safety of the rear. He was willing to die and fight for what he believed to be right and just. There are many men in this world who have faced a demon or two but not all of us have faced someone who has the ability to end our life with the simple pull of a trigger. I have known many who have, most of the ones that have killed are modest men who walk softly, speak quietly and are typically not glib about death. I think it is a shame that the men who fought in Vietnam returned home to a radical left calling them names like baby killer, rapist etc... They deserved better. Over time I have noticed it is usually the cowards that speak the loudest and I don't mean the cowards who dodge the draft but the cowards who are afraid to stand up and fight but will slander and abuse those that do from the safety of the internet or press.

I will just point out, as people often forget, that it is not slander if it is true.

A true statement, however, words that are although true, can be inappropriate, often times abusive. The soldiers to which maccaroni was referring deserved respect. It is also not slanderous to refer to the critics 'that speak the loudest' as cowards.

Loud mouth, ignorant, opinionated cowards indeed.

At the end of the day Haig was a soldier who chose to go into battle; he did not hide behind a desk or retreat to the safety of the rear. He was willing to die and fight for what he believed to be right and just. There are many men in this world who have faced a demon or two but not all of us have faced someone who has the ability to end our life with the simple pull of a trigger. I have known many who have, most of the ones that have killed are modest men who walk softly, speak quietly and are typically not glib about death. I think it is a shame that the men who fought in Vietnam returned home to a radical left calling them names like baby killer, rapist etc... They deserved better. Over time I have noticed it is usually the cowards that speak the loudest and I don't mean the cowards who dodge the draft but the cowards who are afraid to stand up and fight but will slander and abuse those that do from the safety of the internet or press.

I will just point out, as people often forget, that it is not slander if it is true.

A true statement, however, words that are although true, can be inappropriate, often times abusive. The soldiers to which maccaroni was referring deserved respect. It is also not slanderous to refer to the critics 'that speak the loudest' as cowards.

I disagree. The "critics 'that speak the loudest" are not neccessarily cowards at all. I believe that there are indeed brave soldiers that returned and became critics, because of what they witnessed. It would be slander to label them cowards.

It would be slander to label me a coward. I will fight when I have to, but I don't go looking for it, and I believe that some fights are immoral and I will speak up accordingly.

As I've said before, my whole family are Socialists and were also the first to line up at the recruiting office when a war broke out. I'm sorting out some of my paternal grandfather's Boer War/WW1 diaries now. (Anyone know how to convert a PDF file into a word document?).

Some of the bravest people in history have been pacifists who have died painfully for speaking out against what they think is wrong, or defending what they think is right.

I am sure that you will agree that very, very few of them called honorable soldiers - that felt they were doing their duty - "baby killers" and other nemes and they did not insinuate that they were either. Only the worst kinds of cowards and losers would stoop to that.

Agreed.

(Lengthy post on the Vietnam war and peace movement deleted, I ain't going there).

Maybe we should all put our military service cards on the table, I registered for the draft in 1968 but my number never came out the lottery barrel. So I never volunteered, not fancying Vietnam.

I know you were in the Marines UG, and were from a military family. Chuckd appears to have been a "lifer" and Harcourt apparently put some service in.