Vietraq and Iraqnam.

[LynnTheDem]

"But with Joe Six-Pack the war was never more popular. In January 1965, a Harris poll showed that 59 per cent of Americans were cool on the Administration's commitment to Vietnam. By summer, a solid two-thirds majority of Americans supported the war. 'There's too much involved for us to back out now,' said a 29-year-old labourer from Greensboro, Indiana. 'We have to finish the job.'

Sound familiar to you, too?

Or how about this:

"Not only were the Americans fighting an unseen enemy in Vietnam, they were also fighting an unknown quantity. No-one could ever accurately estimate the number of North Vietnamese combat forces who were assisting the Viet Cong in their struggle, nor how many more were being prepared for future action."

"The hospital at Thai Binh, near Hanoi, was bombed three times by the Americans. In 1967, it was estimated that 80 per cent of the North Vietnamese casualties were civilian."

This from a chapter written by a Vietnamese fellow who joined the Viet Cong at aged 16:

"It was things they did like offering us what we did not want and rebuilding something they had destroyed in the first place that showed how simple minded the Americans were. As if we could forget what they had done so easily. They could be generous to us if they wished but at the same time they could destroy whole villages and kill so many so quickly."

"The Americans were well armed but slow and clumsy. They had firepower that we feared so we stayed hidden and out of range. They were like elephants, especially when moving through the jungle ... If we wounded or killed only one of theirs and lived to fight another day, it was a victory. Like the drop of water that wears away the stone, we would wear away the American Army."

Sounds exactly like Iraq.

[MSgt213]

1. Sounds like common sense something we americans seem to lack

[leftchick]

2. Hey Lynn here is more fuel for the fire....

Like we needed it...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2868007

[illflem]

3. I was in Vietnam '64-'66

and it was much the same as Iraq was a year ago. We were only there to train the South Vietnamese Army to fight there own battles then we'd pull out. Right now Iraq is looking much the same as Vietnam in 1967 when we realized SVA was full of corruption and really didn't care about defending what the US thought was best for their country.

[yorkiemommie1]

4. yes, it does

and bushco, media , corporations, religious right are very strong forces . i feel that the fanaticism in the US is much stronger than in the 60s and the GOP will use 9/11 as its instrument to govern by fear.

in the 60s i was optimistic. in these times, i am not.

[marcologico]

5. Iraq is probably worse

Considering that the cold war is over our reasons for going into Iraq are even less defensible. Also the Iraq lies started immediately whereas the Vietnam propaganda machine took a while to gear up.

What's weird is that it seems like the bigger the lies, the easier it is to manufacture the false consciousness necessary to put them over on huge numbers if not majorities of voters. Kerry for example had to struggle to find ways of telling the truth whereas Bush had no trouble selling total fabrications.