Vietnamese advice to U.S.: Leave Iraq (Good Advice or Not?)

[KoKo]

Former foe warns of quagmire

By BEN STOCKING
Knight Ridder Newspapers

HANOI, Vietnam -- The Vietnamese people have some friendly advice for the United States: Don't make the same mistake twice. Get out of Iraq before it's too late.

As a divided America debates whether the U.S.-led Iraq war is "Bush's Vietnam," opinion in Vietnam is united: What the Vietnamese call the "American War" was a misguided adventure, and so is the war in Iraq.

In two dozen interviews, Vietnamese from across the country noted some key differences between the two conflicts.

But nearly all said there was a common theme: Imperialist wars of aggression in which a rich, powerful country meddles in the affairs of a smaller, weaker foe whose culture it doesn't understand. The result, they say, could be another quagmire.

"It seems like the United States is going to be stuck in Iraq, just like they got stuck in Vietnam years ago," said Col. Tran Nhung, who writes for Quan Doi Nhan Dan, Vietnam's military daily. "No country in the world will accept a foreign invasion -- this is a fundamental truth."



http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/2004/04/25/nation.20040425-sbt-MICH-A3-Vietnamese.sto

[MSgt213]

1. They are right very good advice because he if we kill everyone fighting us

now there will never be a democracy in Iraq.

[ugarte]

2. Excellent advice and ironical

since so many talking heads said during the Vietnam War that we couldn't pull out, because all hell would break loose...claptrap about American honor and the domino theory and everything else.

Our only mistake was in not leaving sooner. The end result will be the same no matter when we leave. We need to drop the cultural imperialism and let Iraqis decide what to do with Iraq.

[peacetalksforall]

3. It's obvious that another people see us better than we do....

"But nearly all said there was a common theme: Imperialist wars of aggression in which a rich, powerful country meddles in the affairs of a smaller, weaker foe whose culture it doesn't understand. The result, they say, could be another quagmire."

Imperialist wars of aggression...

...in which a rich, powerful country meddles in the affairs....

...of a smaller, weaker foe...

...whose culture it doesn't understand.

And we could add...

...whose culture and religion it doesn't understand...

...and in whose lives we have little interest

...other than how to control them

...and take their earth resources.

[Az_lefty]

4. We can't just pull out now...

we shouldn't have gone in to start with but now that we're there we have to see this through. bush was an egotistical maniac to tell the world to "shuv it", and then go in virtually on our own. We need a policy that makes sense that the international community can support, in this way perhaps we can develop an acceptable ruling Government there (acceptable to Iraqi's too). It won't look like our version of Democracy but it will be better than Saddam. This can only happen if the shrub is voted out and Kerry voted in. This election is a lot more important than many people think, bush is a walking disaster. He diverted attention (and $$) from the War on terrorism and got us bogged down in Iraq. Who knows what this "brain child" is going to do next.

[KoKo]

5. I feel we must pull out and let the Iraqi's run their own country, even if

it develops into Civil War. It will be their war and theirs to settle.

I know an argument might be what if Iran decides to get involved, or Syria and the whole area explodes.

Is that worse than what we are doing there? Is it worse than making Iraq a terrorist hunting ground for our troops? What can come of this?

A draft so that we have more troops to occupy with a heavier force? What will this accomplish.

We need to withdraw our troops. Get out now before we have to leave like we did in Vietnam and another generation has to live with the aftermath of the bitter Vietnam years which have divided our country and our politics every since.

What are Bush and Kerry focused on? Vietnam. Not jobs, economy, where we are going as a Nation. They are refighting the Vietnam war again, and the American public is the loser.

Do we want to be fighting over Iraq 30 years from now in our political elections?

[ugarte]

7. Just like Kerry said

(paraphrasing) How do you tell the last man he must die for a mistake?

[KLF44]

6. Advice

If Dubya did not ask his own father for advice before he invade Iraq what makes you think he will follow this advice?

[KoKo]

8. I don't think Dubya would follow anyone's advice, but his "true" father in

heaven. At least according to Woodward, and our experience with him, here. He has a "Messiah Complex." He needs a Shrink.

[samadhi]

9. good advice

Why does the whole world understand but not our people?