Afghanistan and the Spectre of Vietnam

“For the first time in a long time, the news coming from Afghanistan appears to be positive. The recent arrests of Taliban leader Mullah Baradar and of two Afghan Taliban ‘shadow governors,’ as well as the steady progress towards securing the southern Afghan town of Marja are all welcome positive signs after years of steady declines. Nevertheless, just as in the Vietnam War where a string of positive reports did not collectively add up to success, this progress will only prove ultimately meaningful if a legitimate and well functioning Afghan authority can be established and Pakistan ceases to provide support and safe haven to the Afghan Taliban. Until clear signs of progress are seen in these areas, battlefield success may prove illusory in the longer-term,” says Asia Society Executive Vice President Jamie Metzl.

To examine this issue in further depth, Asia Society New York is hosting a program “Afghanistan and the Spectre of Vietnam” on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m., examining historical lessons from the Vietnam conflict in seeking to understand the challenges for the U.S. in Afghanistan. Scheduled speakers include:

-- Max Boot, author of “War Made New: Technology, Warfare, and the Course of History”
-- Gordon Goldstein, author of “Lessons in Disaster: McGeorge Bundy and the Path to War in Vietnam”
-- Rufus Phillips, author of “Why Vietnam Matters: An Eyewitness Account of Lessons Not Learned”

The event dovetails with Asia Society Museum’s ongoing exhibit “Arts from Ancient Viet Nam,” the first to bring rare objects from Vietnamese museums to the United States.

To arrange coverage of any of the above, contact us at [email protected] or 212-327-9271. Asia Society is located at 725 Park Avenue at 70th Street, New York.