Why do some people try to compare the war in Iraq with the Vietnam War?

Question

Other than the fact that congress did not declare war in either case, they do not have any bearing on each other. I've heard people state that we pulled out of Vietnam without winning so why can't we do the same in regards to Iraq. Do people not understand that if we were to pull out right now Iraq would fall into an irreparable state of chaos and civil war? Although I did not agree with the invasion, now that we are there we need to finish what we started.

While I agree that we should never have gone in the first place, can anyone honestly say that all parties involved would be better off if we pulled out right now?

I understand what you're saying middleclass, but in vietnam there was a stable, albeit communist, government which was poised to take over. While I certainly do not support any form of communism, you cannot compare what was put in place there versus what is currently in place in Iraq. Americans started the mess in Iraq, and personally I think we responsible to clean it up.

Sky, what meant to say was "further" into a state of chaos. Before you attack me, did you not read that I did not then nor do not now support the invasion, I just feel that we should clean up the mess that we caused. Although the previous regime was horrible, we made it much worse by invading.

Answer 1

The two are very similar. War on Communism...War on Terrorism... In both cases, the American people were convinced that they had to act militarily to halt the stem of Communism on the one hand and Global Terrorism on the other.

And we are fighting both wars with one hand tied behind our backs and using only those folks who volunteer or are just plain unlucky enough to already be in the military. A war of real national urgency would of course be declared by Congress and require the participation of every American. Made up wars don't require that.

A lot of good Americans perished in Vietnam and today you can purchase goods made in Vietnam at Wal-Mart. Who knew Communism was so capitalistic??? Iraq may actually end up being far worse than Vietnam, because as you pointed out, at least there was a Communist Power to bring order once the South collapsed. There doesn't appear to be a prevailing power (barring Iran) that is capable of bringing stability to Iraq.

So perhaps we will experience something new when our Iraq adventure ends.

Answer 2

Because there are a lot of parallels between the Vietnam War and Iraq.

It has nothing to do with Congress not declaring war in either case.

Haven't you been paying attention to the fact that Iraq is ALREADY IN A STATE OF CHAOS AND CIVIL WAR???

I guess not.

And how long do you propose we stay? 10 more years? 20 more years? 30?

We can't finish what we never had a plan for in the first place. All we are doing is making things worse, not better--by staying put and reminding the Iraqis on a daily basis on whom REALLY controls their country and government.

Answer 3

"if we were to pull out right now Iraq would fall into an irreparable state of chaos". That's pretty much the same thing we were told about Vietnam-except the it was COMMUNISM instead that would take over the entire region. From friends that were in Vietnam, it seems the biggest likeness is that it's impossible to know who your enemy was in Vietnam or is in Iraq. It's guerrilla warfare and in Vietnam many didn't wear uniforms.

So, if your parents signed you up for a job you didn't want or an apartment you didn't like-you'd stay?

Answer 4

i think the two wars can be similar, and yet very different at the same time. the Vietnam war had a draft, taking young men straight out of high school, or college. the Iraq war has soldiers who volunteer themselves to die for their country. because the two wars happened in different decades, people have different opinions on certain things because of culture and of the history that has already happened. the Vietnam war was anti-war, and anti anybody who had anything to do with the war. soldiers who were drafted were called baby killers when some of them were forced to go out to Vietnam in the first place. the difference between Vietnam and Iraq is now, with the Iraq war, people may be anti-war, but the still support the troops. soldiers come home to a family that may be proud of them. back in the Vietnam war, some men were embarrassed to be a soldier, the were embarrassed of wearing a uniform. grant it, America can be a very stupid country when it comes to war, its not the whole country, its the few dozen men in power that crave for more and more power. that is what war is most of the time. stealing over power or money.

Answer 5

for sure, the two wars illustrate what occurs once you fail to take account the values, lifestyle and morals of the folk you prefer to "shop." the two wars are Orwellian in that they do no longer probable serve any purpose different than to break end results of the economic device that ought to take transport of to the staff. Iraq is extra frightening in that we choose the oil we declare we are actually not struggling with for. So, it is going to be extra stable to cut back & run in Iraq. on the different hand if we shop spending $10 billion money in keeping with month our united states of america would be destroyed from interior of. In Vietnam casualties have been plenty larger; even in spite of the shown fact that, there replaced into extra reporting with regard to the conflict. additionally, when you consider that there replaced right into a draft there replaced right into a sturdy protest circulate. no person cares approximately Iraq or might even sign a petition permit a lone march down the line. In Iraq our troups are "volunteers' and prefer McCain says they might combat and die for yet another one hundred years and no-one will care plenty approximately it. yet, the troops pay a poor fee. partly beuasse of extra effectual clinical technologies, troops go through an exteremely intense fee of head injuries from IEDs. The lesson of the two wars are the Powell Doctrine: do no longer circulate to conflict except you're arranged to place each and every thing into prevailing becuase prevailing is that significant which for sure it is no longer in Iraq. confident. there are a number of unhappy similarities between the two wars. ********************************** In examining the comments above the lack of expertise displayed is shameful. people who do no longer keep in mind history are condemned to repeat it.

Answer 6

Because there are many similarities. I don't like to be the bearer of bad news but Iraq is in a state of chaos and civil war. As in Vietnam we are fighting an unseen enemy that we catch a glimpse of here and there and unless we wipe them out completely we will never change their thinking or their culture. We are also fighting slogans, communism and war on terror and unless you're willing to wage an indiscriminate war and kill everyone you come across, we'll no more defeat terrorism than we did communism. Another thing in common, a lot of dead American soldiers for no good reason. It was also an unpopular police action and I expect to see more demonstrations as time passes concerning Iraq. Another thing in common, you don't send your military to fight a "war" without letting them do their job by prohibiting them to use their full force.

Answer 7

In both cases we got involved in a situation that we could not control regardless of the ammount of arms and lives expended. In Viet Nam we went in to stop Communism. Communism pretty much died on the vine. Henry Kissinger said if we didn't defeat Communism in Viet Nam there would be a "Domino Effect" and all south-east Asia would be Communist. Never happened. Now we want to force Democracy on an Islamic region where democracy is counter to the religion. Won't happen. Once again we are going against an ideology and trying to force our ideology on them. That is one of the reasons we have terrorists in the first place. We just don't get it! We will be forced out of Iraq just like we were forced out of Viet Nam then the comparison will be right on!

Answer 8

We're using old fashioned, european style military tactics in situations where such tactics don't work.
I don't know if you're an American, but in U.S. schools we learned of the rag tag fighters that followed George Washington, et al. against the British Redcoats, who were easily indentified marching in rows through open fields, as militaries have for thousands of yrs. The Americans were outgunned and outnumbered, but used guerilla tactics to win battles, i.e. lying flat in the grass, opening fire on a surprised opponent, then retreating to trees where reinforcements were hiding for another go.
Ironically and painfully, we've become the Redcoats, highly visible on the ground against an 'invisible' enemy.
In Vietnam, the enemy learned quickly not to meet U.S. forces 'head to head' out in the open. Instead they resorted to surprise attacks by smaller bands of raiders. They would even strap munitions to dogs which would approach U.S. soldiers and explode.
It's somewhat easy for an overwhelming force to take a city. It's quite another to have your forces try to hold the city over time, soldiers standing flatfooted on the streets where 'civilians' whip out ak47s and open fire on you from moving vehicles, etc.
Also, in Iraq, the insurgents have resorted to terrorist tactics, attacking civilian rather than military targets to frustrate and demoralize their enemies.
We could have won Vietnam by destroying Hanoi, but we didn't want to risk a confrontation with the (nuclear) Soviet Union, so we tried to 'hold' south vietnam standing flatfooted on the streets.
It doesn't matter how many soldiers we have in Bahgdad, they don't know who to kill!!!
The enemy is dressed as civilians. Living as civilians. Most of them have left Bahgdad pending the end of this 'surge'. After the surge passes, they'll be back.
My solution? Have U.S. forces 'line up' along Iraqi borders, effectively blocking entrance into the country through Syria and Iran, and allow the Sunnis (20%) and Shiites (+60%) fight it out and come to a resolution. The Shiites should win easily, and Al Maliki can continue on the current democratic course.

Answer 9

Because we lost the war in Vietnam and are presently losing the war in Iraq. Sometimes it just pays to mind your own business and quit trying to police the World. We have enough wrong to take care of here at home.

Answer 10

We pulled out of Viet Nam, because the house and Senate Liberals, cut off the funding. No Money...No War... Same thing is now being floated in both houses...18 resolutions in just past 4 weeks by Liberals.

Cut N' Run, with no thought of lives on the home front or the terrorist following us home.