The Ordo Theologiae in Foreign Policy

[Kenny]

I’ve been thinking… the order of theology, has a deep influence in Foreign Policy also. People in think tanks come up with these blobs in the sky, “glittering generalities” as Dr. Farrell calls them. Moses came down from Mount Sinai with a “Domino Theory.” That might be true in some cases, but is a grand abstraction, and now “If Vietnam falls to communism, the whole region falls.” This is existential for America.

I know there are multiple ways of looking at the Vietnam war. For example, the role of the military industrial complex and finance to rebuild Vietnam after the war. But… the Domino Theory was the main reason used to sell the grand abstraction to the public. We see now, the titles of the books coming out of the think tanks. Robert Kagan “The Jungle Grows Back: America and Our Imperiled World”. Moses came down the mountain with the glittering generalities on that one.

I don’t know… maybe if we change the order of asking the questions, and start with persons, we could be getting a better foreign policy. In my opinion, stay out of the Vietnam mess, or I would have talked to Ho Chi Min, who by the way, wrote letters to the President of The United States, and these were never delivered. After all, President Trump had a meeting with Kim Jong Un. Interesting watching clown world reaction.

The Ukraine and Vietnam share many similarities, even the “glittering generalities” being sold in the media “If Putin wins is going to spread to Europe.” At the end of the Vietnam war, the US plan was “we are going to send them all this gear and leave a robust army.” The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) had one million soldiers. South Vietnam was very corrupt and the captains of the army started a huge grift. They would tell the soldiers “listen you don’t have to be here, just give me a cut of the paycheck, and report here once or twice a month.” So basically it was a ghost army. Once the North Vietnamese started to close in all those army captains started deserting their troops. Many of them took helicopters and started landing on US Carriers. Saw a video of one of them jumping from the helicopter because he couldn’t land.

To their credit many ARVN soldiers fought like tigers, tragic what happened to them. Some of them committed suicide, others accepted their fate. They do remind me of the Ukrainians although I hope the Russians won’t be as brutal.

[vardas3]

…an intriguing idea and we have a similar question in the vidchat for this week.

[Kenny]

This one became popular. History has ended, we are just dreaming this nightmare.

[vardas3]

I read the book when it came out. Needless to say, Mr. Fukuyama’s attempts to understand partistics (and yes he DOES talk about it briefly) left a LOT to be desired. It was the typical modern American materialist ignorant dismissal treatment.

[Kenny]

Yup. History never ends, until God almighty, the Holy Trinity, says so. In the meantime persons run the show, not Mr. Fukuyama and his grand abstractions.

[abellache]

The cost of pretending has gotten too high now, so will be seeing less free markets and less democracy in the coming years. Until the globalists are put out of power.

[abellache]

What a big mistake that dismissal was. Everything today is either stagnating or going completely astray

[resipsaloquitur]

Only one thought comes to my mind when I read about the Domino Theory as relates to the casus belli regardless of whether the war was Vietnam, Ukraine or elsewhere.

"Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By.’” (Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa in Casablanca)

"This day and age we’re living in
Gives cause for apprehension
With speed and new invention
And things like fourth dimension.
Yet we get a trifle weary
With Mr. Einstein’s theory.
So we must get down to earth at times
Relax relieve the tension

And no matter what the progress
Or what may yet be proved
The simple facts of life are such
They cannot be removed.]

You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh.
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by.

And when two lovers woo
They still say, “I love you.”
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by.

Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date.
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate.
Woman needs man
And man must have his mate
That no one can deny.

It’s still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die.
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by.

Oh yes, the world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by."

"You played it for her, you can play it for me. If she can stand it, I can. Play it!” (Humphrey Bogart as Rick in Casablanca)

It all just goes to prove there will never be an end to politicians spouting futile theories (e.g. the Domino Theory of Dulles) with catchy names to justify what should be unthinkable— war.