Some people like John Kerry are mortified by America's image of arrogance abroad. They seem less troubled about America's image for abandoning allies.
An article in the conservative Human Events has it both ways. It blames Bush and Pentagon arrogance for the situation in Iraq but says the whole country signed on to the war, we're stuck with it, and we should find a way to win it.

Thanks for the link to the interesting study on Vietnamese democide. I've put in for my annual vacation so I can read it.