What did the U.S.A. Learn from the Vietnamese War?

     At about nine o’clock on February 1 (U.S. local time), the space shuttle Columbia
disintegrated in midair at an altitude of sixty-two kilometers. The seven astronauts
on the space shuttle were all killed in the accident. It seems to be a direct cause that
heat-resistant tiles which peeled off damaged its left wing and that the shuttle
exploded because of an abnormal rise in temperature. Human causes should not be
ignored either, such as a lag in introducing the newest technology, and reducing staff
and costs due to a budgetary cutback. The most serious carelessness, however, may
be ‘conceit’ that made NASA think little of the trouble of heat-resistant tiles..
     Although the following story may not be of universal application, the writer has
regarded even careless accidents beyond his control as a sort of admonition by God
since his childhood. When he hit his head against something, he thought that he was
tried and punished by God. In other words, he believed that even such a small
accident is a kind of manifestation of his pride, by which he tried to reflect on his
past conduct. This reflection has no relation to big trouble or a small one. By
remembering God’s work through these trivial accidents, he has made it a rule to
criticize himself. This is his individual philosophy. According to his philosophy, the
U.S.A. should reflect on its conceit. The disaster of the space shuttle Columbia is
some expression of God’s will. This is not ‘God’s retaliation’ as Iraqi President
Saddam Hussein said, but rather “God’s help.” That is, the U.S.A. can be rescued
from his pride by judging God’s heart. Its conceit is not “the mission of space
shuttles” but a war with Iraq. The mission of space shuttles is necessary because
many of their aims are peaceful. Furthermore, it does not kill any people. Hence,
what should be truly controlled through the disaster is the attack on Iraq.
     The Financial Times on February 3 reads,” Thus far, however, neither Bush nor
Blair has convinced many of his allies and public opinion that war is the best way to
deal with Hussein.” The column concluded like this, “Without suchａresolution, an
attack on Iraq will be seen widely as lacking legitimacy and justification.” If the
U.S.A. takes the perspective of the Financial Times into consideration, it should
freeze the blueprint for attacking Iraq. Now the U.S.A. should remember the period
from 1960 to 1975. The Vietnam War forced the country to a lost battle. What did
the U.S.A. learn from the war? It should not repeat the same mistake, for the
disaster of the space shuttle Columbia is extending a helping hand to the country.