Scum speaks...again

[PC Dave]

Seems ol' Nicky can't keep his pie-hole shut. Must be a recessive gene.

From today's NY Post:


April 1, 2003 -- A Columbia University professor who wants to see U.S. troops suffer "a million Mogadishus" in Iraq defended his stand yesterday - and dug his hole a little deeper.

In his latest remarks, Assistant Professor Nicholas De Genova said he believes that ultimately what has to happen in Iraq is "more like another Vietnam."

"Vietnam was a stunning defeat for U.S. imperialism," he declared in a letter to the editor of the Columbia Daily Spectator.

The anthropology and Latino-studies professor was unavailable for comment as controversy raged over his "Mogadishu" remark last week at a Columbia "teach-in." He was referring to the 1993 "Black Hawk Down" incident in which 18 GIs were slain in Somalia.

Gov. Pataki, a graduate of Columbia Law School, "believes De Genova's comments are a disgrace. He was appalled," his spokeswoman said. "It's one thing to oppose the war, and another thing to wish harm on our soldiers and cheer for their defeat."

De Genova, in his letter to the Spectator, said the newspaper - which first reported his remarks - took them out of context when it quoted his comment about Mogadishu but not "the perspective that framed" it.

He said he had pointed out that Iraqi liberation can only be achieved by the Iraqi people themselves, "both by resisting and defeating the U.S. invasion, as well as overthrowing a regime whose brutality was long sustained by none other than the U.S."

"Such an anti-colonial struggle for self-determination might involve a million Mogadishus now, but would ultimately have to become something more like another Vietnam," he wrote.

[jw-260E]

I'm trying to figure out how the current situation would be another Vietnam.

I guess that he means to say:

Iraqi freedom fighters = NLF, NVA, Ho Chi Minh

Saddam = Diem, Thieu, etc -- Various U.S. supported SVN leaders

U.S. = U.S.

I would say that if that is what he means, it's a misguided and facile analogy. While Saddam received limited U.S. support in the past, his rule has not been largely dependant upon U.S. power like the governemnt of South Vietnam was. (At least as far as I know--I am much more familiar with the history of Vietnam than Iraq.)

Many historians have argued that the illegitmacy of the South Vietnamese government was a key, if not *the* key reason for the collapse of South Vietnam. American failure was thus a failure in nation building, rather than military, as military successes didn't serve an appreciable purpose, because the South Vietnamese government those military actions supported was inherently flawed.

Well, I won't argue that the regime in Iraq isn't inherently flawed--Saddam is obviously a brutal dictator. I think that it is much too soon to say that the Iraqi people, with American military support, won't be able to create a new, legitmate government.

In my mind, the most essential difference lies in that any potential Saddam replacing regime, unless it is forcibly imposed upon all the Iraqi people (obviously we are having to impose this change forcibly on some, bog willing we are right in thinking that the majority of Iraqis are interested in having a leader who isn't an asshat) will represent a legitimate expression of Iraqi nationalism--unlike the illegitimate SVN government.

[PC Dave]

You're giving the twit far too much credit, and wasting your time trying to decipher the specific reasoned argument he's making - he isn't making one. His knowledge of Vietnam is limited to standard hard-left cliches. US ground troops in action overseas = Vietnam = US imperialism = bad, bad, bad.

He betrays his ignorance with the tired leftist cant that "America sustained the regime". It didn't. The arms came from Russia and France, with China and Germany in a secondary role. The U.S. was way down the list, along with, e.g., Libya (This analysis didn't come from the National Review, it came from a Swedish anti-war think tank). The U.S. shared satellite info. on Iranian positions during the Iraq-Iran war; may or may not have been the right thing, but it didn't constitute long term patronage of the thugocracy.

[jw-260E]

Hey, how is calling his argument a "misguided and facile analogy" giving him too much credit?

[jw-260E]

I mean, "misguided and facile" is like saying "**** for brains" in intellectualese.

[PC Dave]

Originally posted by jw-260E
I mean, "misguided and facile" is like saying "**** for brains" in intellectualese.

Sounds like you've been reading too many academic journals!:p

[longston]

‘MOGADISHU' PROFESSOR CUTS CLASS

By JENNIFER FERMINO and TODD VENEZIA

April 2, 2003 -- Nearly a week after Columbia University professor Nicholas De Genova called for the mass slaughter of U.S. troops, the man who wants "a million Mogadishus" fears so much for his own life he is refusing to go to class.

De Genova claimed death threats forced him to skip his 2:40 p.m. Latino History course at the university's Hamilton Hall - the first lecture he had scheduled since the March 26 anti-war "teach in" in which he referred to the 1993 "Black Hawk Down" incident in which 18 GIs were slain.

Instead of the professor, some 25 students were greeted by three graduate students, who said class was canceled and the professor was in hiding.

"Because Nick is afraid for his life, nobody knows where he is," said one, who refused to identify herself.

The woman then invited the undergrads to protest at the library.

Almost two dozen De Genova supporters gathered at 4 p.m. by a statue outside the Ivy League school's library. The protesters sat silently near an empty chair meant to symbolize the absence of the professor.

One who did not show up was Rebekah Pazmino, who attended the 2:40 p.m. class De Genova missed.

The 19-year-old sophomore said she is set to enter the Marines this summer.

She said she is angry at what her professor said.

[longston]

I had no idea that "Skippy" was a member of the Cosa Nutstra, or woodland family of the black paw...

Brings a whole new understanding to the nicname "Pauly Walnuts", capice?

[jeffwolinski]

DeGenova obviously has less courage than his idols the Somalians.

Skippy could also be a member of La Cosa Nutria (Nutria are horrible, huge rodents originally from South America that are literally eating away our coastal marshes).