Iraq Is Not Vietnam, Part III
by
Jim Cox
by Jim Cox
DIGG THIS
Last year I
added to a 15-item
list of comparisons between the US experience in Vietnam, and
that of the current war in Iraq. With yet another year of war behind
us, here is Part III of that comparison for Iraq, 2003–2006 and
Vietnam, 1965–1968:
|
1-15
|
Iraq
is not Vietnam
|
|
16-30
|
Iraq
is Not Vietnam, II
|
| ` |
Item
|
Iraq
2003–2006
|
Vietnam
1965–1968
|
|
31
|
Commander
of US forces ponders increase in troops in fourth year of
war?
|
George
Casey
by
15%
|
William
Westmoreland by 40%
|
|
32
|
Justification
for the war?
|
domino
theory
|
domino
theory
|
|
33
|
Head of
state and former ally removed by US?
|
Hussein
|
Diem
|
|
34
|
US troops
deaths?
|
3,004
|
30,559
|
|
35
|
Troops
in country during 4th year?
|
130,000
|
537,000
|
|
36
|
US troop
deaths per troops in country?
|
231
per 10,000
|
569
per 10,000
|
|
37
|
US troop
deaths per troops in country based on 1968 medical technology?
|
346
per 10,000
|
569
per 10,000
|
|
38
|
Number
of battles US forces lost?
|
1
|
0
|
|
39
|
Relevance
of the number of battles US forces lost?
|
not
relevant
|
not
relevant
|
|
40
|
Patrol
Boats used on rivers?
|
River
Patrol Boats used for first time since…Vietnam
|
4,500
sailors on 450 boats
|
|
41
|
Massacre
prompted by frustration of fighting guerillas?
|
Haditha
|
My
Lai
|
|
42
|
Veterans
organize to oppose the war?
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
43
|
President’s
Approval Rating?
|
Bush,
30%
|
Johnson,
43%
|
|
44
|
Elections
result in political change in a branch of government due to
war?
|
Yes,
2006
House
and Senate from Republican to Democrat
|
Yes,
1968
President
from
Democrat
to Republican
|
|
45
|
Secretary
of Defense eventually acknowledges futility of effort?
|
?
|
Robert
McNamara
in
1995
|
So, what is
the difference between Iraq and Vietnam? Answer: George Bush knew
how to get out of Vietnam!
February
17, 2007
Jim
Cox [send him mail] is an Associate
Professor of Economics and Political Science at the Lawrenceville
Campus of Georgia Perimeter College and the author of The
Concise Guide to Economics and Minimum
Wage, Maximum Damage.
Copyright
© 2007 LewRockwell.com
Jim
Cox Archives
|
