With the present geopolitical turmoil resulting from America's seemingly interminable foreign policy machinations in support of international democracy, peace and security, in order to gain some context and perspective, it may be timely to ransack history in anticipation of a couple of forthcoming anniversaries in 2015 -- neither of which are likely to be loudly celebrated, at least outside Pentagon and the broader Beltway in Washington D.C. 

In this the first of a three-part series, Australian writer Greg Maybury reflects on the unmitigated disaster that was Uncle Sam's foray into Vietnam and South-east Asia, and the implications for the here and now.