Vietnam and Iraq

[Marcellus]

We enjoy a luxury in Iraq that was not available in Vietnam: the Ability to close off the entire country from anybody else's influence except ours.

As Al Khalifah pointed out, closing Iraq's borders is completely impractical. Iraq's borders are far too large, and military resources are stretched enough as it is. Barbed wire would be too easy to destroy and the militay resourses are not great enough to patrol all of the thousands of miles of Iraq's borders.

Iraq had no terrorist problem before we invaded. This means most of the terrorism must be imported

Not at all. The situation pre-invasion was just one that did not generate terrorism (Saddam's tight regime, no foreigners). Post-invasion, some Iraqis turn to terror due to the lack of law and order and the presence of foreign powers.

After that, you do a systematic sweep of the nation, inch by inch, and kill all the terrorists--or deport them, or send them to prison, or otherwise remove them from Iraq

That would be a lot easier if we knew who the terrorists were, or if Iraq wasn't so large.

[Marcellus]

Personally, I'd support anything from Nukes to Nerve Gas

In case you didn't know, WMD aren't very selective as to who they kill. You would massacre thousands of civilians, failing the purpose of the invasion, and turning Iraq, the Middle East and indeed the entire world against you. They didn't use them in Vietnam, and they won't use them in Iraq.

Edit:

I'm just using it as a figure of speech.

Phew

[Al Khalifah]

Since we've gone this far we might as well finish the job properly and try to walk away from it all with some dignity remaining.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

I'm no Expert on POW treatment during the Vietnam war, but I seriously doubt we did anything as heinous as Abhu Graihb.

Thats pretty funny. Believe me Abhu Graihb is nothing compared to what we used to do with captured VC. One of the favorite things to do was put a few of them blindfolded in a chopper, then go up and start questioning them. You would tell them that if they didnt answer you were going to toss them out. Well after you threw 3 or 4 out the door it was remarkable how the others would start yaking.


There is no comparison between these two wars. Their is no government that we are fighting here or organised army. The vast majority of Iraqis dont favor the insurgents and definetly hate the foriegn fighters. In this one we are winning the hearts and minds of the people. Only the left and the madia want this to be another NAM and do all they can to try and make people believe it.

[Tribesman]

In this one we are winning the hearts and minds of the people.
Yes when the people don't want you there and sections of the government don't want you there then you are really winning hearts and minds

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Yes when the people don't want you there and sections of the government don't want you there then you are really winning hearts and minds

So is it your contention that most Iraqis and their government want us to leave today? I seriously doubt it.

[el_slapper]

So is it your contention that most Iraqis and their government want us to leave today? I seriously doubt it.

You know, the fact that they hate your enemies does not mean they like you. You're the non-invited occupying force - and this means you are not welcome, regardless of the situation. Most Irakis don't want to fight you - and that's a huge difference with 'Nam - but they hate being occupied. I think you wouldn't have liked a french occupation of the States after France helped you getting independant - even if they wouldn't have been direct foes.

And when Israelis entered S-Lebanon to take care of bad guys over there, the welcome was "thanks for the job, but please leave quickly". They didn't leave quickly, & still pay the price for it. Irakis are happy someone took care of the bad guys - but the ones who took care of him shall leave quickly or generate more enemies.

Ah, and there is another difference : 'Nam had 1 single lone powerful enemy. Irak has 4 weak but hidden ones :

1)Criminals freed by the bastard prior to the invasion - hostage takers
2)Baath supporters - car bombers
3)Foreign djihadists - kamikaze bombers
4)Internal fight between communities - and sometimes the occupiers are positionned in the crossfire.