When we are told that we should not compare Iraq to Viet Nam...

[Contrary1]

We need to agree to get their attention and then let them have it with this:

"...But Vietnam comparisons are wrong in one respect. Listening to the Johnson White House tapes of the early months of 1963-1964, one cannot help but sense the anguish, turmoil and indecision as the president grapples with pressures to escalate the war and send more troops to the inescapable battlefields of Southeast Asia. Sleepless to the point that Lady Bird worried for his health, LBJ would go to the White House situation room at midnight to await the nightly casualty reports.

By contrast, George W. Bush is "hangin' loose," as he puts it, spending August at the ranch in Crawford, riding his bike, taking side trips to friendly conventions of veterans and hitting the sack by nine. At the VFW, he presented the latest version of his rolling rationale for continuing the war in Iraq. We must finish the task, he now says, to honor the fallen.

Yet he cannot find time to meet with Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a fallen soldier who demands to know what noble cause her son died for. "I've got to get on with my life," said the president. His life? Could he have found a more infelicitous formulation?

More here... http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050826/OPINION/508260425/1002

I had posted this a couple days ago in the editorial section of DU, but it will get more readers here. I think it is an important point to compare Smirk with LBJ, the "other" Texas cowboy. Should piss off the Freeps royally.

[Vickers]

1. Plus, LBJ had a REAL fucking ranch.

But at least the Bush Twins can carry on the tradition of avoiding serving in a conflict.

[ThoughtCriminal]

2. If it doesn't compare

why do they insist on comparing the war protesters, and why do they feel it necessary to defend the Vietnam war?

[BlueJac]

3. This is Iraq

A war started on lies, Bush lies.

[fishnfla]

4. Even Kissinger is making the comparison eom

[DIKB]

5. What ROYALLY pisses me off

is when they compare this war to WWII, and Hussein to Hitler, as if he EVER was on the same scale.

[Vickers]

6. Omigawd, does this mean Poppy is going to ditch a plane and kill

his crew? :shrug:

[blondeatlast]

7. LBJ was clearly not at peace with the Viet Nam conflict. Idiot son clearly

IS at peace; criticism runs off him like water. None of his Kennebunkport chums are over there (although his fellow Texas citizens" have sent plenty, I imagine).

If Idiot Son would show an the slightest amount of doubt, of worry, of concern over what is happening, I could have a smidgen of empathy.

[newswolf56]

8. I posted a comment on this topic the other day that is worth repeating.

Essentially I stated that the Vietnam analogy actually plays into the hands of the oligarchy by obscuring present-day reality -- that until the Left gets unstuck from Vietnam it will not develop an adequate analysis of Iraq, Afghanistan, the imposition of theocracy, the deliberate disempowerment of the working class and how all that is related to the methodical concentration of wealth by the global oligarchy. Here is the link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x150276#150294