Why hasn't there been any Protests on the Iraq War like there was with Vietnam?

Answer 1

You are right in what you inferred that Vietnam and Iraq wars have a lot in common: The main protests over vietnam in essence was the same as for the current "over there" war. The US had no winable/workable warplan for success, and no endgame. Then as now it seemed it was going to be an interminable losing fight. And there was one more simularity... Both the Johnson (then) and Bush (now) Administrations lied through their teeth about the reasons to get into the wars in the first place. Both involved what is called "false flag black ops". Both administrations painted the wars in a larger context of international enemy conspiracys with religous overtones, Atheistic Communisim (then) Islamic Terrorism (now). In both cases, it became obvous that neither Vietnam or Iraq were critical to our national security.

The key to the answer that the military personnel composition was different. In vietnam, there was male consription, however, if you had money and/or political influence it didn't apply to you. Almost all my professors got there advanced degrees just to get a draft deferment. Bill Clinton/Dick Cheney did as well. Also, if you had the political clout to get into a National Guard Unit, you got out of the draft AND you were NEVER going to Vietnam, eg. Geo. W. Bush. So who went to Vietnam? Poor blacks, whites, native americans, hispanics who lacked the above privleges. However there were a large segment of noncoastal rural and working class whites that did volenteer. Why? Because for them going to Vietnam was simply the only way they were going to get to college and/or move up in socity. There were two other dynamics in play in vietnam that don't exist now: 1) The great race civil wars in urban american cities was boiling over, especially after the MLK was taken out. Large segments of the urban core of the great american cities were burning. I do know in Kansas City young working class whites armed themselves heavily to stop the advance of violent black mobs into their neighborhoods with semiautomatic deer rifles and scopes. Where did they learn war? Vietnam. You need to remember that MLK made Vietnam the top and most visable aspect of the campagn for Civil Rights, why? Because of the issue of social injustice.

And 2) The US suffered far, far more casuality and deaths in vietnam by a factor of at least 10. In my rural town of Marshall Missouri three of my friends lost a brother or a dad in the conflict. And they represented the best and brightest of the community. My first grade girlfriend lost her dad and had to move away. The vietnam war has been over now for 30 years, but the losses of the war continue to scar the lives of them left behind: The widows, children, and grandchildren and all of their inlaws and extended families, their network of friends and their church families as well. In fact, my town suffered more losses in Vietnam than it did during WWI, WWII, or Korea. In terms of the current conflict putting both the first and second gulf wars together while some have come back with shattered bodies and minds, none have come back as bioHW in sealed metal boxes.

The military of now is all volenteer, and a different attitude is noticable, and as a returned "over there" combat officer, I sense that while most Americans realize that the current war is giant cluster screwup, they have in general stood by them that go in harms way, because their hardships, sacrifice, and honorable service represents something extraordinary and rarely witnessed.

Answer 2

Before I answer, let me correct you on one point. Contrary to lefty idealism, there were indeed WMD's which said lefties conveniently like to forget that their ilk (the Dems) in government also believed existed. Not reported due to the dicey situation surrounding US/Russia relations was the fact that Iraq shares a lengthy border with Syria and had a cozy relationship going, in which said WMD's would not have been difficult to spirit away prior to the ousting of the one man known to have used them. Now, I know that in the perfect little world of liberalism the denizens are allowed to think in a vacuum whilst gazing through a drinking straw, one would ask what the hell does that got to do with things. Well, nothing officially but I've been around long enough to know that WMD's don't pick and choose where they're stored. While I'm at it, there is another point that needs correcting. Those farmers who were killed in Vietnam were soldiers. Yes they didn't wear uniforms and actually farmed and had families but they were very much involved in the effort to defend their country. I know that concept is alien to lefties but hang with me. You see, just because maps show a border separating North from South Vietnam, it doesn't mean that the human eye can distinguish which are South and which are North. Many an American soldier was either killed or permanently disabled because they weren't able to make out the difference (or have any reason to) and were sucker-punched if you will. Look up references to little Vietnamese children told to run up to that American soldier with a live grenade. Last, but not least, world history has shown all through the ages that when there's war there are civilian casualties. That's why I fight liberalism here in the States because if you had your way, the hammer and sickle would be waving in the Washington air. I'm sorry your mind has been poisoned by liberalism.

Answer 3

There are protests going on all over the place. But this war is not anything like Vietnam? Vietnam did not attack us or our way of life, nor our religious beliefs, they did not educate their people with cassette tapes to preach "kill the Americans, destroy the Infidel all Jews and Christians in the name of Allah" That is why?
We are protesting for many reasons, and one is about the strategy that we are using and the funds that have been wasted since we caught Saddam? And the fact that it is causing problems in our society now and we don't want all this governing here in fear of what could be with terrorism? We want an answer and we are not getting one that is palitable. (truthful). The vietnamese were being tortured and controlled by the red communists just like Korea in the Korean war. so we stepped in to train them and it escalated too far too fast and we lost many good soldiers for nothing really, this one is for something, and we need to see how we are going to fair after all the blood shed, because we are in the dark on all sides.

Answer 4

Because there's no longer a draft. The protests during the Vietnam war started on college campuses with young adults who didn't feel like they should carry the burden of a war they didn't believe in, that was being carried out by an older generation.

If the draft was reinstated, there would be a huge outcry against the war in Iraq.

Answer 5

A lot of people believe they are protesting by posting stuff on the web. What they don't understand is the Internet is an alternate universe of sorts.

The main reason there aren't many street protests is because there is no draft. Also people are afraid of retribution by the authorities.

Answer 6

Because the American people were led to believe that the ones
in the White House knew what they were doing, only to find out
that we were all misled as to the brightness of our great leader
who's solution to the problem was sending more troops into a war that cannot and probably will never be resolved no matter what leader # of troops die.

Answer 7

Because the war in Iraq hasn't gotten as big as Vietnam, YET.

Answer 8

Even though everyone has an opinion, they are all too lazy to actually go out and protest. It is similar to voting. Everyone has an opinion on the politicians in office, yet few actually do research on who they are voting for. Americans, at least the majority, are lazy.

Answer 9

during the Vietnam era, their was a mandatory draft. Now our servicemen choose to fight for our country and it's freedoms and it is our duty to show them support even if we disagree with the war.

Answer 10

Where would you rather fight terrorism? Just wait until we have a weenie in the office that won't do anything and we are all slaves to who ever wants to come over here and take these chickens as theirs. Lets see what is whinnied about then.