Iraq Is Not Vietnam, Part III

by Jim Cox
by Jim Cox

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 4^th 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.

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