Yeah, butt the war would have gone on endlessly without the protesters..

You're welcome for the thanks we "war protesters" deserve
because the war was an endless one otherwise. One basic fact
must be understood is that at no time did the anti-war people
outnumber the war-support people here in the USA, but that
some of the anti-war people made a lot of 'big show' against
the war (marches, and the more interesting and dangerous
anti-war riots--hey, it could be FUN! but you had to play it
safe and the tear gas was nasty!) and the anti-war people got
the publicity....Somehow, and this is how I figure it, the
government realized that the war would last forever AND LET
THE ANTI-WAR SHOW CARRY THE DAY so as to be able to get out
of the otherwise endless war. It was the only way to get away
with a pullout. They could not pull out on the premise that 
the war was going to last too long to bother to stay, but they
could pull out on the premise that the war was too unpopular.
Well, the majority supported the war anyway, but that wasn't
going to make the endless war go away. The anti-war show was 
the excuse, not the reason.... The opinion polls were set-up
somehow to give the impression the war was too unpopular, but
the 'silent majority' did support the effort, the war effort.
Anyway, personally I joined the Army in 73, did my time, got
my Honorable Discharge, and always thought the guys with the
CIB's were #1. They still are..........
    signed x An Anti-War Rioteer and Ex-Paratrooper