Vietnam and Iraq Wars Essay Example for Free

Vietnam and Iraq Wars Essay American involvement in Vietnam has roots which preceded the actual deployment of troops, just as the current chapter of the Iraqi War has roots that reach, some would argue, at least as far back as the end of World War II. These two arenas, where America chose to enforce its foreign policy at gunpoint, have many similarities, though ostensibly they appear to be radically different. The two wars began with two very different American presidents telling the Big Lie to the American people and their duly elected representatives, though there are subtle differences in how they came to be told. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident supposedly occurred when two American cruisers, operating within a few miles of the North Vietnamese coast are said to have come under fire by North Vietnamese gunboats. This fabricated incident led Congress to grant Johnson powers to prosecute the war. According to reports released under the Freedom of Information Act it is seriously doubtful as to whether such attacks actually occurred. The 21st century continuation of the Persian Gulf War of the 1990s began with an American president telling the American people and their duly elected representatives another Big Lie. He said, while in possession of reports to the contrary, that the leader of Iraq had amassed weapons of mass destruction, meaning, it was assumed, either nuclear devices or chemical and/or biological weapons. He further stated, knowing it was not likely, that the Iraqi leader was involved in the attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Center. For their own reasons, Lyndon Johnson and George Walker Bush both chose to obfuscate facts in furtherance of their political agenda. In Vietnam the American fighting men never lost an engagement with the enemy. They won every battle, yet lost the war. Some say the war was lost in the streets of America, victim of bad publicity. The French had held the Vietnamese in colonial slavery since the 19th century, and were only driven out by the Japanese in 1941. At the end of World War II the French decided that they had the right to return as feudal lords. The Viet Minh challenged this assertion, and in 1954, at the battle of Dien Bien Phu, they drove home their point. The French commander committed suicide before the garrison fell to the guerillas under command of the brilliant tactician, General Giap. France pulled out once again, but instead of letting Vietnam unify and hold elections, the U. N. partitioned it. This set the stage for North Vietnam’s president Ho Chi Min to begin to unify his nation by force, which the Americans inexplicably chose to challenge, culminating in Lyndon Johnson lying to get his war powers act through Congress. This war, which seemed to be the sole business of the Vietnamese people, became a quagmire to the Americans, and cost Johnson his presidency in the end. It brought shame and disrepute on the United States as Bush’s Iraqi War has done in the 21st century. Bush lied to obtain the needed powers to wage a war in Iraq. The Iraq War began with Americans watching U. S. Military power raining destruction from the air on the people of Iraq. The American president screamed, â€Å"Bring it on! † to taunt the enemy, and after a short time landed on an American carrier ship, greeted by a banner proclaiming, â€Å"Mission Accomplished†. Unfortunately that was another deception. Now Iraq, like Vietnam, is a quagmire and Bush has no more of an exit strategy then did Lyndon Johnson. Of Vietnam, Pete Seeger, the folk singer sang, â€Å"Waist deep in the big muddy, and the big fool said to push on† (Seeger 1967). The big muddy was, naturally, Vietnam, and the big fool giving the order to keep marching was Lyndon Johnson. Few march today in protest of an equally un-winnable war and no one but the loyal opposition calls Bush a big fool. Still the parents of America fatalities know that their sons and daughters are just as dead as those who died in Vietnam, for the same lame reasons, in wars justified by lies. In declassified documents released in late 2005, Robert Hanyok, a National Security Agency Historian said, â€Å"that a second attack, on August 4, 1964, by North Vietnamese torpedo boats on U. S. ships, did not occur despite claims to the contrary by the Johnson administration (Prados 2004). Prados, a NSA archivist has said he believes it is vital to have this information come to light, saying that the Johnson Administration, â€Å"used this claim to support retaliatory air strikes† (ibid). There are disturbing parallels between the lie concerning the Gulf of Tonkin Incident and the ‘manipulated’ intelligence used to justify the Iraqi War, according to the historian. It is only due to public pressure that the secret agency allowed the documents to be declassified some forty years after the fact. The Bush Administration did not want the truth out for the obvious reason of the comparisons that can be made to his untruths concerning Iraq. John W. Dean, former White House counsel to Richard Nixon, said in 2003, that, â€Å"[George W. Bush] made a number of unequivocal statements about the reason the United States needed to pursue the most radical actions any nation can undertake acts of war against another nation. †¦Now it is clear that many of his statements appear to be false† (Dean 2003). Dean posed the rhetorical question of whether lying to start a war is an impeachable offense against a sitting U. S. President. It is only rhetorical because of the fact the lying chief executive’s party had sufficient control of the legislative branch of government. The party apparently believed that lying about sex is impeachable but lying to start war is simply presidential politics. Bush began a series of misstatements, obfuscations, diversions and lies beginning in 2002 as he began to beat his war drum across the United States. In speech after speech he made wilder and wilder claims regarding the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised (Bush, G. W. 2003). He even sent his Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, on the speech circuit, saying (Rumsfeld) personally knew where these weapons were located. They were never found. They never existed. It was all a lethal charade foisted on America by the Bush/Cheney regime. It was argued that Vietnam was fought in defense of the Domino Theory. It has also been suggested that the Iraq War is being fought for the Haliburton Theory, in which American troops have seized Iraqi oil to increase the profits of an American corporation under the control of the sitting vice-president. What is proven is that the Iraq War, like its predecessor, the Vietnam War, was begun with a Big Lie for which the liar has not been called to account. Intelligence sources’ reports exposed each set of lies for what they are, yet neither Johnson nor Bush has been held accountable. References Bush, G.W. Iraq: Denial and Deception (speech) Mar. 17, 2003     Retrieved 5-10-08 From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030317-7.html Dean, J. 2003   Missing Weapons of Mass Destruction Retrieved 5-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   11-08 from: http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20030606.html Prados, J. 2004  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tonkin Gulf Intelligence ‘Skewed’ Retrieved   5-10-08 From:

Company of Lovers :: essays research papers

THE COMPANY OF LOVERS: JUDITH WRIGHT Judith Wright’s 1946 poem â€Å"The Company of Lovers† makes a juxtaposition of two essential forces of major impact upon human existence, the effects of love and those of death. Within the poem it can be noted that the two stanzas reflect each of the certain themes. The first, a universal description of love and the ambitions two lovers might have, whilst the second a reflection of how quick all may soon be lost through the loneliness of death. Wright is renown for her use language, and many of her poems contain paradoxes in which the reader is confronted with a phrase completely unrealisable, but effective in portraying the nature of the poem. â€Å"The Company Of Lovers† itself opens with the use of a paradox â€Å"†¦We meet and part now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  instils an image of simultaneous unity and depart, evoking in a sense of temporary cohesion that may soon be lost. This may represent a changing nature of ‘lovers’ and perhaps such a quick meeting and farewell represents the promiscuous nature of some who class themselves as ‘lovers.’ Nonetheless, a different approach is taken as the first stanza introduces ‘the lost company’ which could quite well represent lost ideals or values that once offered what was a company of lovers, which has now become short-term relationships. This emphasis goes on to describe, with passion, the joining of ‘hands together in the night’ of those â€Å"who sought many things, throw all away for this one thing, one only† – love. Such descriptions change, however, as the last lines change in tone, bringing forth a harsh reality, even to those submerged in the unified joys of love with a strategically placed ‘narrow grave’ to emphasise the loneliness of death. Ambiguity can also be noted through the use of many words within the poem, even from the first lines of the title itself. The word ‘company’ has several connotations of which could signify the reader being within the company of lovers, or perhaps lover’s in the company of one another.

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud

Deanna Todd The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud I read â€Å"The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud,† by Ben Sherwood. This book is about Charlie St. Cloud, a normal high school junior whose life completely changes one night, and then takes you on the journey through the events that take place after that horrific night. This was a really good book that has been turned into a movie, and I would highly recommend reading the book. This paper is going to tell you in depth about the book and why I enjoyed it so much. Charlie St. Cloud is a high school junior who along with his younger brother love the game of baseball.Living in the small harbor village of Marblehead, Massachusetts, sailing and the water were an everyday part of life, however baseball was the joy of the St Cloud boy’s lives. Charlie’s younger brother Sam looked up to his older brother, and the two, sons of a single mother, had a very close brotherly bond. One evening while Charlie and Sam’s mother was at work, Charlie decided to ‘borrow’ the neighbor’s car to drive to Boston to watch a baseball game. On the way back their car was struck by a drunk driver and both boys were pronounced dead.However, in the ambulance, firefighter Florio Ferrente shocked Charlie back to life. As Charlie promised not to ever leave his brother’s side, he was pulled back into consciousness. It was those few moments of being â€Å"in between† that would forever change Charlie’s life. After a decade of feeling responsible for his brother’s death, Charlie forgets about his dreams and aspirations in life. Instead he decides to become the local cemetery caretaker, and every night as the cannons signal sunset, Charlie races into the woods to meet his little brother for a game of catch.Because of being in between life and death for that short moment, Charlie can now see spirits and guide them into the next realm. Sam chooses to stay behind to be with Charlie and every night no matter what Charlie is doing or where he is, when the cannons sound he is in the woods with his brother. One day as Charlie is cleaning up the cemetery, he meets a young sailor named Tess Carroll. Tess is getting prepared to leave on a race to sail around the world. After meeting her Charlie finds himself trying to choose between the past and Sam, and his possible future with Tess.Tess and Charlie spend a wonderful night together and the next morning, Charlie, like always has his morning coffee at a little shop on the harbor. This is where he finds out that Tess went out on a test sail and is now missing. Hearing this shocks Charlie from his â€Å"new love† state into a realization that Tess is dead. After Charlie finding out about Tess, he becomes very angry and then realizes his point in being saved that faithful night. He realizes that Tess came to him, and that she isn’t dead yet, that she is hurt and fighting to stay alive and Charlie ne eds to find her.He now has to choose between his promise to Sam, and his new love for Tess and their possible future in building a life together. Charlie rushes into town to find Tink, Tess’ right hand man, and explains to him that Tess is in fact alive and he intends to find her. Needless to say Tink thinks he is crazy but embarks on the search anyways because he wants to find her just as much. As they are sailing out to ocean, the sun starts to fall and Charlie hears the cannons, he knows that he has broken the bond between him and Sam and he will never see Sam again.With tears in his eyes, he says goodbye to Sam and apologizes for breaking the promise he made to his little brother. Just then Charlie sees a shooting star in the night sky and it is as if the star is pointing him in the direction of an island. It’s Sam leading Charlie to Tess, Charlie jumps up, thanks Sam and steers the boat toward the island. Once they get close enough they spot Querencia, Tessâ€℠¢ boat. Once they rescued Tess and got her to the hospital, Charlie never leaves her side. However at first Tess doesn’t recognize Charlie and it really upsets him.He gave up his brother for her and now she doesn’t remember the night they had together. Charlie still never left the hospital, and then Tess finally asked fro him, she wanted to know how they met, so Charlie told her the entire story. Charlie had finally let go of the past, and forgave himself for that night that changed his life. Now he was starting over with a brand new outlook on life and he and Tess were going to start over together. This book was very touching and heartwarming. It also reminded me a lot of Mitch Alboms books, especially â€Å"One More Day. They made a movie about this book simply titled â€Å"Charlie St. Cloud† even though the movie was pretty good, it doesn’t compare to the book.I love to read books and watch the movies; however I am usually disappointed in the movies. I don’t like how they take so much out of the movies to fit it in a certain time frame and this movie was no different. However it is still interesting to see the characters coming to life outside of your mind. I would recommend this book and the movie, although I would suggest to watch the movie then read the book, then you won’t become upset like I did.

Pick Two or Three Settings from the Great Gatsby and...

Pick two or three settings from The Great Gatsby and explain their significance to the novel. Settings are given in every novel being important as it helps the reader understand the story better. The settings in The Great Gatsby are specifically very significant as it superbly fits with the storyline. The story is set in the early 1920s in New york because it focuses on the society of that time and is particularly focused on the factors such as prohibition of alcohol, the glamour of new york and also the way that Tom, Nick Gatsby and daisy all escape from the mid west, a small minded town, and become successful living the American dream. This is compared to the Valley of ashes, where the lower class lives in struggle. What makes the†¦show more content†¦They both use the city to hide their goings-on from the people they value on Long Island. In the story, there is a distinction between West Egg, where Long Island is located, and East Egg on the other side. The people who live in West Egg are considered to be the recently developed wealthy individuals. Moreover, separated by a long river, on the other side is East Egg where people made of generations of wealth live. However, Fitzgerald tells us, in Nicks point of view, directly that East Egg is the wealthier, more elite of the two. Despite all his money, Gatsby lives in West Egg, suggesting that he has not been able to complete his transformation into a member of the social upper class society. Tom and Daisy are apart of the East Egg society being an example of a typical couple living there being overindulged. We learn that Daisy being a mother is not responsible or mature for her age. She introduces her daughter to her friends for a few minutes and then claims â€Å" momma wanted to show you off.† This shows that Daisy being an East sider has taken a lot for grant ed, she has a nurse to take care of the daughter instead of being a mother herself. The distance that separates Gatsby from Daisy lies across the span of water between their houses – the very distance between West Egg and East Egg, representing a barrier between the two lovers. Valley of ashes shows the less happier side of the American Dream. Wilson despises the American Dream and has fluffed it, strugglingShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby Analysis5626 Words   |  23 PagesIntroduction â€Å"The Great Gatsby†Ã‚  is a  novel  by the  American  author  F. Scott Fitzgerald. First published in 1925, it is set on  Long Islands  North Shore  and in  New York City  from spring to autumn of 1922. The novel takes place following the  First World War. American society enjoyed prosperity during the â€Å"roaring†Ã‚  as the economy soared. At the sameRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Milkman s Journey 2003 Words   |  9 Pagesgrew up privileged with wealth and always had a sense of security. The two siblings kept no contact growing up because of a dispute that occurred days before the death of their father. Macon is drawn to Pilate’s way of life even though he cannot admit it to himself. One night Macon decided to take a stroll past Pilates house, to his surprise he was drawn to the music and the liveliness that was protruding her house. If Pilate and Macon would have stayed together and been able to support each otherRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 PagesANALYSIS The purpose of Text Interpretation and Analysis is a literary and linguistic commentary in which the reader explains what the text reveals under close examination. Any literary work is unique. It is created by the author in accordance with his vision and is permeated with his idea of the world. The reader’s interpretation is also highly individual and depends to a great extent on his knowledge and personal experience. That’s why one cannot lay down a fixed â€Å"model† for a piece of criticalRead MoreHow To Write Literary Analysis4174 Words   |  17 Pagesperform literary analysis. To analyze something means to break it down into smaller parts and then examine how those parts work, both individually and together. Literary analysis involves examining all the parts of a novel, play, short story, or poem—elements such as character, setting, tone, and imagery—and thinking about how the author uses those elements to create certain effects. A literary essay isn’t a book review: you’re not being asked whether you liked a book or whether you’d recommend