In Vietnam we entered the fray with a few "advisors" and increased our troop strength throughout much of the 1960's. We were never really on the offensive, our purpose was to insure a free South Vietnam, not to end the North Vietnam government. It was a war prosecuted at the whim of some very witless politicians. If Johnson would have listened to the counsel of General Westmoreland, Vietnam would be a "free" united country today.
Contrary to Vietnam, in Iraq we went in with force, "Shock & Awe". We eliminated the organized resistance very quickly and have captured the head of the snake in Saddam. In hindsight our only mistake has been to withdraw too many troop too quickly. Although even that has not been a huge obstacle. Eliminating the fundamental Islamic cleric wackos who are indeed a minority in Iraq will quell much of the current resistance. Working with the more moderate clerics, who are the vast majority in Iraq, helping them begin the process of self governance and the people believing in that governance will take some time, but will happen.
That we may face terrorist in Iraq for years to come is a no brainer! The forces behind "fundamental Islam" al Qaeda, Iran, etc, have a lot to fear from a free Iraq. They will surely attempt to vilify us and the process. Defeating them in Iraq is "in my opinion" of the utmost importance in the overall war on terrorism. Vietnam, hardly, our armed forces were never really allowed to "fully" engage the enemy in Vietnam. Every move needed Washington's approval. LBJ once joked that "not a shot can be fired in Vietnam without my approval"! Thankfully LBJ is not leading us in this war!
The Vietnam claptrap is nothing more than political hogwash! Iraq bears no resemblance to it. Here's another one of my opinions, I think Bob Kerry misses the limelight and is rather enjoying his time before the TV cameras, no partisan he!
Also noteworthy is the fact that we have never withdrawn from Germany, Italy, Japan or Korea. We have troops in all of the nations since the end of hostilities after WWII. It may be necessary to add Iraq to that list.
are a bunch of liars. The only reason we're in Iraq is because of his Daddy (who kicked SH's ass before).
So, now that we're there and Saddam ain't, what should we do?
See, I wanna pull out cuz GWB is a liar but what I can't get outta my mind is Mom and Pop Lunchbucket Iraq. He's the guy who lived in fear all these years of the knock on the door that this time it would be HIS head being used as a soccerball in Saddam Stadium, or maybe his kids...Or of being executed for having a TV.
He's the guy who's gonna continue to live in squalor and fear still more when we leave and the power vacuum is switched on and the REAL killing begins.
I remember Rawanda...I remember the rivers turned red by blood and the bodies, too many to count. 1/2 million some say. Good thing we had the first black president then...We should stay out of civil wars except our own IMO.
Hell, Iraquis have a tradition of peaceful handoffs of power, don't they? Do they have chads in Iraq?
I wish all things in life were this easy..
Good post, BK.
Each day, the news informs us us of new horrors in Iraq. Although I was just a young kid in the early 70's, I thought that Vietnam and Watergate were supposed to have taught us that our government lies, and that we should be skeptical of its claims. I guess Pete was wrong when he wrote, and Roger sang, "we won't get fooled again."
-- Modified on 4/9/2004 3:48:09 PM