Bush Links Iraq and Vietnam

Nonphixion · 10-19-2006, 10:35 PM

Bear in mind that the world press is EATING this story, a quick search of google news shows it has hit the world-press like a spreading wildfire

By Tabassum Zakaria

Washington - United States President George Bush says he sees a possible parallel between the increase in violence in Iraq and the 1968 Tet offensive that prompted a loss of support among Americans for the Vietnam War.

But the White House on Thursday said the president was not making the analogy that Iraq had reached a similar turning point. Instead, he meant that insurgents might be increasing violence to try to influence the upcoming US election.

Bush was asked in an ABC News interview on Wednesday whether he agreed with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman's opinion that the violence in Iraq was "the jihadist equivalent of the Tet offensive".
Bush responded: "He could be right. There's certainly a stepped-up level of violence, and we're heading into an election."

Bush and other top US officials have long resisted comparisons to the Vietnam War when critics have suggested that Iraq has turned into a quagmire.

But They have stepped back from adamant declarations of progress as sectarian violence ratchets up, with more than 2,750 American troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis killed since the US-led invasion in March 2003.

Attacks in Iraq killed about 40 people on Thursday. The death toll for US troops rose to 72 for October, which could become one of their deadliest months in two years.

"I expressed the sentiment some time ago that I thought we were over the hump in terms of violence, I think that was premature," Vice President Dick Cheney said in an interview with TIME magazine.

Cheney agreed that insurgents were trying to create as much bloodshed as possible to influence public opinion in the United States.

Communist forces lost the Tet offensive, but it was a major propaganda victory and is widely considered a turning point of the war in Vietnam, prompting support among Americans for the conflict to drop. President Lyndon Johnson's popularity fell and he withdrew as a candidate for re-election in March 1968.

White House spokesperson Tony Snow said Bush was not trying to say that the surge in violence was a turning point in Iraq. "We do not think that there's been a flip-over point," he said.

IOL: Bush links Iraq and Vietnam as clashes surge

JaJae · 10-19-2006, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

Bear in mind that the world press is EATING this story, a quick search of google news shows it has hit the world-press like a spreading wildfire

IOL: Bush links Iraq and Vietnam as clashes surge

Democrats and Republicans alike have been comparing Iraq to Vietnam for quite some time now. If anything it's good that Bush is willing to admit some negatives in Iraq and it shows he's starting to face some reality. I would have to agree with the White House statement.

Nonphixion · 10-19-2006, 10:47 PM

You should all make a note of Andersen Cooper 360, Thrusday's episode on CNN (replaying at 1am and 2am EST). It shows Ramadi has fractioned off an formed a new islamist state. On top of this Iraqis have proposed a Sunni/Shia partition of Iraq, running laterally. Cutting the country in half essentially, with the aim of setting-up one side being in ally with Iran and the other side with Syria. They want to break off from the country and join forces -- and potentially to become fully clandestine terrorist states.

As well there is video of 1 of the 23 Iraqi militias or possibly a torture/death squad, parading through the streets of a city in several cars with weapons in hand. Honking their horns and circling around on the city streets. Plus protestors holding Hezbollah signs and flags, chanting some-unknown-slogans.

The situation is abysmal in Iraq, the capitol of Baghdad is referred to as "The Meat Grinder" by our troops because of the high level of violence and deaths.

ballz2wallz · 10-20-2006, 06:55 AM

The fact that the enemy is using scenes of the battle to change the public opinion is the way it's similar; you'd think that would be obvious when he said:

"He could be right. There's certainly a stepped-up level of violence, and we're heading into an election."

In no other way does he mention a similarity of the two. Would you disagree with him?

kinggovernor · 10-20-2006, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

The situation is abysmal in Iraq, the capitol of Baghdad is referred to as "The Meat Grinder" by our troops because of the high level of violence and deaths.

that is an old vietnam phrase, people use it all the time

WickedLou9 · 10-20-2006, 09:03 AM

Shiite militia takes over Iraqi city - Yahoo! News

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Shiite militia run by anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr seized total control of the southern Iraqi city of Amarah on Friday in one of the boldest acts of defiance yet by one of the country's powerful, unofficial armies, witnesses and police said.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki dispatched an emergency security delegation that included the Minister of State for Security Affairs and top officials from the Interior and Defense ministries, Yassin Majid, the prime minister's media adviser, told The Associated Press.
The Mahdi Army fighters stormed three main police stations Friday morning, planting explosives that flattened the buildings, residents said.
About 800 black-clad militiamen with Kalashnikov rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers were patrolling city streets in commandeered police vehicles, eyewitnesses said. Other fighters had set up roadblocks on routes into the city and sound trucks circulated telling residents to stay indoors.

That can't be good.

SoFlaJDM · 10-20-2006, 09:07 AM

now if he could just find a way to link iraq and 9/11

garbagemanlb · 10-20-2006, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by SoFlaJDM

now if he could just find a way to link iraq and 9/11

...then Vietnam would be linked to 9/11.

SoFlaJDM · 10-20-2006, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by garbagemanlb

...then Vietnam would be linked to 9/11.

Scrum · 10-20-2006, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by garbagemanlb

...then Vietnam would be linked to 9/11.

Then we can finally blame Vietnam on Clinton!!!

avsp · 10-20-2006, 10:05 AM

Has Clinton ever met Kevin Bacon?
If so, I win

Nonphixion · 10-20-2006, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

Shiite militia takes over Iraqi city - Yahoo! News

That can't be good.

60 Al-Qaeda fighters had just taken over Ramadi, according to CNN. So they're doing that to influence the election? That's O'Rielly logic!

And history shows O'Rielly logic is pretty far from the truth -- in actuallity it's closer to Faux News sensationalism.

Wouldn't you say it's much more REASONABLE and LOGICAL they're doing that because we pulled all of our troops out of everywhere else to fight the losing battle in Baghdad.

WickedLou9 · 10-20-2006, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

60 Al-Qaeda fighters had just taken over Ramadi, according to CNN. So they're doing that to influence the election? That's O'Rielly logic!

And history shows O'Rielly logic is pretty far from the truth -- in actuallity it's closer to Faux News sensationalism.

Wouldn't you say it's much more REASONABLE and LOGICAL they're doing that because we pulled all of our troops out of everywhere else to fight the losing battle in Baghdad.

no they want the democrats to win in november. Democrats want to give terrorists flowers and money. Didn't you hear?

Nonphixion · 10-20-2006, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

no they want the democrats to win in november. Democrats want to give terrorists flowers and money. Didn't you hear?

I wonder if right-wingers like O'Rielly get it -- that when they state this it's exactly the same as saying;

"OMG it's a GLOBAL CONSPIRACY!!!!!111one1one"

JaJae · 10-20-2006, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

no they want the democrats to win in november. Democrats want to give terrorists flowers and money. Didn't you hear?

If I were a terrorist I would want Democrats to win in November. Not that Dems want to give them flowers and money. But honestly, if you were a terrorist in Iraq who would you want in power... Democrats or a Republicans? Democrats favor leaving Iraq on a much quicker timetable.

WickedLou9 · 10-20-2006, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

If I were a terrorist I would want Democrats to win in November. Not that Dems want to give them flowers and money. But honestly, if you were a terrorist in Iraq who would you want in power... Democrats or a Republicans? Democrats favor leaving Iraq on a much quicker timetable.

It depends. The GOP seems to be giving them fantastic recruitment tools.

JaJae · 10-20-2006, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

It depends. The GOP seems to be giving them fantastic recruitment tools.

There's a good way of looking at it. Both parties suck. If only LL could run our Senate.

WickedLou9 · 10-20-2006, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

There's a good way of looking at it. Both parties suck. If only LL could run our Senate.

We would be so much better than the crooked rabble that currently stinks up the joint over there on capitol hill.

Scrum · 10-20-2006, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

We would be so much better than the crooked rabble that currently stinks up the joint over there on capitol hill.

Speak for yourself.

I can be bought with cheap booze and strippers.

And the Dr. Pepper lobby would own my vote.

garbagemanlb · 10-20-2006, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Scrumtralecent

Speak for yourself.

I can be bought with cheap booze and strippers.

And the Dr. Pepper lobby would own my vote.

Werd. I'd sell out in an instant. Looking out for #1 ftw.