So what did it cost us by leaving Viet Nam? Nada!

[bribri16]

It cost us over 58,000 lives of our own to enter Viet Nam. What would have been different if we had stayed? We deal with Viet Nam today as though nothing ever happened...so what was it all about? Communism still exists all over the world and socialism is on the rise. Our own nation is becoming more and more fascists. We need to get the hell out of Iraq now or it will cost us another generation of our young just a Viet Nam did.

[libhill]

1. It's already

a Viet Nam in miniature. And it will probably end the same way if we wise up and pull out. A period of civil war in Iraq, then a stabilization, then we fall all over ourselves to do business with them. Always assuming that the insane assholes running our country don't bring on Armageddon.

[oscar111]

2. kick

mmmm

[blondeatlast]

3. Great minds think alike. Viet Nam has thrived since we left.

I remember the newsreels of the troops leaving. No one looked defeated or victorious on either side, but the right thing was done by pulling the troops out.

We can't possibly make the situation in Iraq worse by leaving.

[bribri16]

4. And so would Iraq. Iraq was thriving BEFORE Desert Storm n/t

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

5. It isn't exactly a good comparison.

In Vietnam, we were facing both an organized army and a guerilla army that were united towards a single goal - reuniting Vietnam. I don't think you can say the same of the insurgency in Iraq. It's a multifaceted amalgamation of groups with different purposes, amongst which Iraqi nationalism is a distinctly minor characteristic. That doesn't even begin to address the issue of the foreign fighters who are in Iraq, who have their own purposes as well. I see no reason to believe that any of these groups will lay down their arms if we leave. No doubt it will soon become a haven for all sorts of unpleasant elements (not that it isn't already.) It would be far more fertile ground for the likes of Al Qaeda than Afghanistan ever was or could be. Regardless of our staying or going, it seems like we've already reached that point anyway.

This doesn't address wheither or not our *staying* will do any good. We could very well stay and have a situation every bit as bad as if we'd left.

[Toots]

8. You are correct and a solution is a United Nations effort

The Iraqi people will never trust Americans, not even the ones we place in power. They are still Iraqis after all and Americans have demonstrated how they feel about Iraqis. The US has to make a public admission of fault and ask the UN to intervene. Once UN says yes we withdraw immediately. We also have to commit a certain amount of US Troops to be Under the Command of the United Nations. The US has probably the best trained military on the planet and would be vital for UN Security. That is the rub. Right wingers will never allow any US troops to be commanded by anyone other than American. That is why it is imperative we regain the House and Senate next year if we truly don't want this War Mongering to continue. Halliburton would probably still make out but I think their next venture will be Water Rationing. One reason they want Global Warming is so they can lock up water supplies and reap huge profits in the selling (rationing) of water. The next oil but oil is still imperative as well.

[McCamy Taylor]

6. What did staying in Viet Nam cause? Killing Fields for one thing.

[quaoar]

7. Vietnam today is relentlessly capitalistic

I was in Hanoi a few years ago and everyone was either in business selling something or trying to start a business.

Plus, the U.S. dollar is the de facto currency of Vietnam. If you try to pay for something in Hanoi with the local currency you get funny looks.