1975

I've become quite fond of Bill Bennett's The American Patriot's Almanac. Today's entry contains the following quote from Cambodian Prince Sirik Matak in response to a letter offering him American sanctuary:

I thank you very sincerely for your letter and your offer to transport me towards freedom. I cannot, alas, leave in such a cowardly fashion. As for you, and in particular for your great country, I never believed for a moment that you would have this sentiment of abandoning a people which has chosen liberty. You have refused us your protection, and we can do nothing about it. You leave, and my wish is that you and your country will find happiness under this sky. But, mark it well, that if I shall die here on the spot and in my country that I love, it is no matter, because we are all born and must die. I have only committed this mistake of believing in you.

As we appear to be on track to abandoning Israel, Taiwan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, it's worth considering the aftermath of our evacuation of Saigon thirty-four years ago today. In that war, we defeated the enemy on the ground and then abandoned our allies in the region. It took a generation for the US military to recover and for the world to trust our word again. One wonders what it will take the next time we make the same mistake.