Why Iraq is different from Vietnam

[BallaFaseke]

We never invaded Vietnam- North or South. The ARVN wanted us there.

Here we we just hauled off and invaded Iraq.

Not saying Vietnam was right.

[Alex88]

1. .

[Maple]

2. Russia claimed

someone invited them into Afghanistan too.

They're still looking for the guy.

[La_Serpiente]

3. we have ZERO legitimacy in the region

Prior to the war, all the ENTIRE Arab League denounced the US invasion. Now, Jordan has no supply of oil and terrorists are flooding the power void by coming in from Saudi Arabia (and I have heard reports of Palestine also). I am not sure about Iran. I think they are just coming for the pilgramage.

However, one major thing that the neo-cons underestimated is that the just looked at Iraq as having nothing to do with its neighbors. To me, I think that is false. In a sense, the Middle East is like the United States of America. Each country is related to each other and feel a kinship.


Are the Iraquis happy? I am not sure. But digging up the olive trees of farmers that have been there for hundreds of years isn't reconstruction to me.

Also, I have heard reports of former Baathists gaining posistions of power in the new government. Do you think that they will treat the Iraquis with respect? I do not think so.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Chalabi and his goons invited us into Iraq

They said we were going to be welcomed with rose petals and dancing on the streets.

Don

[Guaranteed]

5. Can we get the EU to invade us?

;)
I'm kidding, of course, you FBI guys!

[mmonk]

6. This Iraq war is a war of conquest

whereas Vietnam was not technically.

[RichM]

7. Re: "The ARVN wanted us there" -- a misleading half-truth

What you say is not really right, IMO. We did invade Vietnam, but tried to disguise this via a complicated deception. The very existence of "South Vietnam" was largely artificial. The US more or less created it by welshing on the 1956 Geneva agreements aimed at national reunification, then claiming that a separate "South Vietnam" existed, installing a series of puppet governments, & having our puppets "invite us in." This kind of invitation holds little real legitimacy.

It would be something like having Ahmed Chalabi "invite us in" to Iraq -- it's something you can claim for propaganda purposes, but it's not particularly meaningful.

[iangb]

8. It took a deception, 'The Tonkin incident'..

.....to get Congress to agree to US involvement.

Beyond that there are enough apparent similarities (eg, rubbery objectives, a puppet Government, no clearly defined enemy and no believable exit strategy) to thoroughly spook the 'average joe'.

[Aidoneus]

9. US involvement dates back to Truman..

.

[ConsAreLiars]

10. US intervention began far before there was any ARVN

To claim that he US was invited in by its hapless puppet army is delusional in the extreme. Read a book.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

11. The guerrilla war is the same.

The hostile environment. The opposing factions. The "no clear way out" aspect.
You all should read yesterday's NYTimes magazine story.

Blueprint for a Mess

It supports Kerry's position: Get rid of Saddam = Good/ Occupation = bad.