Is the war in iraq a repeat of the vietnam war?

Question

Does the United States actually have a reason to be over there or is it about proving who is who?

Answer 1

About the only similarities are the fact that we have American troops in a foreign country; people are protesting it without even bothering to find out what's really going on there; and the clear media slant against both the operation and especially the president. There aren't really any similarities beyond that, if you choose to be honest with yourself. In Vietnam, we saw a spread of communism coming from the north in China and being pushed on an entire southern half the country that didn't want it; it didn't take long for idealists back home with no basis in reality to start protesting it virulently, and spitting on their own veterans when they came home, showing just how grateful they were.

Now that generation, and their brilliant offspring, are convinced that this war MUST be the same--never mind the fact that their own Democratic leaders had been saying just how dangerous Saddam was and denouncing the fact that he was snubbing the resolutions of their beloved UN to inspect his weapons stores--not to mention that he was killing and terrorizing his own people and making all of his neighbors nervous. These same Democratic leaders, by the way, were the same ones who, after reviewing the same evidence the President had seen, wholeheartedly supported FINALLY taking action against Saddam. No threat of the spread of communism there. Since then, we've been fighting and killing people who are best described as butchers and killers of the worst degree, who have no qualms about underhanded tactics like kidnapping and beheading people, shooting hostages in groups and dumping them into rivers, blowing themselves up in marketplaces and checkpoints, and screaming for the blood of as many Americans and other Westerners as they can kill. These people videotape themselves killing and butchering and post it on the internet, knowing that their friends in the western media will gladly pick it up and display it on the evening news, to further sour people's opinions back home and fool them into thinking that that's all that actually ever goes on there--which, by the way, is both foolish and incorrect to boot. The Viet Cong, by comparison, used guerrilla tactics against us, but nowhere near to the same degree of senselessness and butchery--there was plenty of that, but they were quite a bit less fanatical, and without the benefit of Islamic radicalism.

Just because we didn't enjoy a "speedy and easy victory" doesn't somehow automatically make this another Vietnam War. This is the Iraq War, which is part of the greater war on terror--oh, and if you're one of those who insists it's not about terror, tell that to groups that call themselves names like Al Qaeda in Iraq, as well as to Osama, who not only sanctioned the group but also has personally called Iraq "al-Qaeda's primary battleground" against us. Tell that also to those of us who've actually BEEN to Iraq and who have fought against these people... yeah. Try and convince US it's not about terrorism. Tell that to the Iraqis bearing the brunt of it, too... and tell them that you'd rather pull us out before the job's done just so that your preferred political party back home can somehow appear "victorious" for having fooled enough people into thinking more Iraqi deaths via our absence was somehow acceptable--I bet they'd LOVE that excuse.

I'm so tired of people comparing two completely different wars just because it somehow "legitimizes" more bland, ineffective protests that impress no one.

Answer 2

This war is declared by the President and voted on by Congress. Vietnam was a declared war only by the President. Congress then did not allow the military to wage war and now it seems like once they gave the President the power to wage war they want to micro manage it and take away the militarys ability to fight it. Then like now the media does NOT report the truth only the things that are done wrong! So in someways the answer is no the U.S. has not learned. The majority of the people in Vietnam did NOT want the NVA to win but because of the lies in the press and the fact that the congress refused to allow the military to win the people in Vietnam lost everything.

Answer 3

The war in Iraq is lot like the war in Vietnam, it was the north viet cong against the south. The north are communists and the south was propped up by the US and we wanted a free Democratic government there. It failed because the general population of Vietnam wanted there own form of government.
After all the blood shed the US and collation forces had to tuck their tail between there legs and run home with a bloody nose. Feel very strongly the same will happen in Iraq

Answer 4

No comparison to the Vietnam war other than the protesting. A better comparison would be to Kosovo.

I'm not going to get into reasons as i'm not sure anyone knows anymore. Depending on who you ask you'll get a mix of fact, fiction, and emotion.

Answer 5

Bush says its another Korea. We've been there for 50 years.
Bush wants us there for stability in the region and to be sure Iran doesn't take over the Middle East because of oil among other things.

Answer 6

Other than the way they media portrays it they are very dissimilar. There are far more differences than similarities.

Iraq violated repeatedly the cease fire agreement that stopped the fighting in 1991. It was because of those violations as well as numerous other factors that caused a resumption of hostilities in 2003.

Answer 7

Yes, the US has a reason for being in Iraq. We want control of their oil reserves, which are the second largest in the world.
What do you mean "Proving who is who? I can't respond to what I don't understand.
EDIT: Good answer, Kevin.

Answer 8

I personally think it is another Vietnam we are involved in. The real reason we are over there (in my opinion of course) is to sure up U.S. interest in the region. It isn't about fighting Muslim radicals, or freeing the people of Iraq, it's about what our government wants. And no....we should not be over there. It is beyond the bounds of the U.S. Constitution for us to directly interfere in the affairs of other foreign sovereignties for our own personal interests REGARDLESS of how murderous or treasonous they treat their people.

Answer 9

Well, I guess it is going to prove "whos who" isn't it?