The similarity of Iraq to Viet Nam is Increasing, Day by Day

This is in response to Tierney’s column on May 10, suggesting that media stop reporting the killings in Iraq.

Both wars were sold to the American public by Presidential lying. In Iraq it was the existence of Weapons of Mass Destruction and conspiracy between Saddam Hussein and Osama ben Ladin. In Viet Nam it was the Gulf of Tonkin attack. Neither had any basis in reality.

The stated purpose of both wars was to combat ideas, communism in Viet Nam and terrorism in Iraq. In both instances we and our allies were and are incapable of defeating a highly effective but invisible human enemy, the Viet Cong in Viet Nam and the insurgents in Iraq.

In both wars the human enemy was willing to suffer great losses and continue fighting. In Viet Nam we had body counts. In Iraq, the war is becoming a war of body counts.

In both instances, the President promoted and continued to promote the concept of persisting in a hopeless war.

In both wars, the American public did not have a clear idea of what the war was about and what would constitute victory over Communism or terrorism. In both wars the public displayed American flags and signs reading: God Bless America and Support Our Troops. Nobody could define what those signs meant.

In both wars, the lying President had numerous allies willing attack viciously anyone who opposed the killing and destruction.

The two important differences are are that:

1. Bush is a more effective demagogue than Johnson.

2. On the domestic policy side, Johnson was a good leader. Bush 's guiding star seems to be the destruction of the American middle class. Johnson declared a war on poverty. Bush is trying to make most of us poor.

In Viet Nam, we eventually pulled out. Thirty years later, Communism is dead and Viet Nam is Westernizing. The United States and Viet Nam are establishing relationships.

It’s time to pull out of Iraq. We are not doing anyone any good there. If publishing stories about the suicide murders in Iraq helps to convince the American people that it’s time to pull out, so be it.

As usual, Tierney takes the position that if reality is denied, it will somehow go away. There is no use in attacking Tierney because he is only fulfilling the role for which he was hired by the NYTimes: pandering to the lunatic fringe.