Is it Vietnam yet?

[Dis]

hey! I was going to make a thread with the same exact title.

oh well, there goes that idea

[mindseye]

How does the general US population feel about this? it's hard for me to gauge from over here.

Is the general public waking up yet to the growing reality that the country was deceived into war, or are people still driving around in their flag-topped SUVS shouting "support the troops"? Is there any anger yet over this gross betrayal of trust?

[RGBVideo]

How does the general US population feel about this?

Sadly, I'm under the impression that Sava and Dissident are describing examples of the 'general US population'.

[Az]

Originally posted by monkspider
The general trend that America has started here will result in a quagmire far, far worse than Vietnam. In fact, it is one that the United States will never get out of. We are on a very rapid path toward self-destruction at this point, in fact, there is no way the USA will even exist as a political entity for more than five to eight years, maybe nine or ten tops. That is, unless we learn to live in greater harmony with the rest of the planet and abandon our fanatical materialism.

I wish....

[Pekka]

I didn't read a single post when I now answer to this

No, not Vietnam. Not even close! The thing I wonder about Americans is the inability to take losses. At least they get so much attention, it's just too dangerous. Dangerous to the operation I mean. What, you got little over 40 KIAs after the more active phase of the war? THat's nothing. If someone expects no losses in a situation like this, they must be crazy!

There's lots of guns.. you think all Iraqis love Americans? How hard it is to just pick up the rifle and shoot a soldier from distance? Or ambush convoy? You must be kidding me, it's not that hard.

Also, look at the terrain. They will never be as effective as their Vietnamese brothers.

It is impossible to control the whole area, or even the whole city with so much people in it. Who expected this wouldn't happen??!!

Also this is not even close to Vietnam. I don't know the facts, but I assume that in Vietnam, the borders were not exactly secure. I'm not saying they are in Iraq either, but it's tougher for the resistance to get real weapons, big weapons through the borders. I have no doubt that they do, but it's kiddy business compared to Vietnam. No facts, this is what I rationalise.

Of course there are security problems, and they will never stop either. IMO Americans are taking acceptable losses, and they are not too bad. It's when 40 soldiers get killed every day when I'd consider problems severe and serious.

[Dis]

the thing that is bad is the cities.

sure out in the middle of the desert no one can approach you. you are perfectly safe out there.

but the cities might as well be jungle. they have to walk in amongst the civilians. This is even worse because they can't indiscriminately shoot civilians like they did in Vietnam (well sometimes). You have to walk amongst thousands of people and figure out who the bad guy is. Not an easy task.

Things will get worse unless the U.S. fixes the root fo the problem.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
But personally, I'm not *****ing. I'm sitting here with an "I told you so" expression on my face.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Sprayber
Seriously man, get some help. I'm not an expert, but this obsesion you have with other people's suffering is kind of creepy

If you are looking for somebody to pin the blame, it has to be GWB. He started this whole idiocy.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Pekka
I didn't read a single post when I now answer to this

Then you have nothing to say worth reading.

[Pekka]

che, but you still read at least some if it, because you're quoting me. Victory!

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Pekka
Victory!

Curses!

[Pekka]

And you quote me again! YES! Total Victory!

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Dissident
but the cities might as well be jungle. they have to walk in amongst the civilians. This is even worse because they can't indiscriminately shoot civilians like they did in Vietnam (well sometimes). You have to walk amongst thousands of people and figure out who the bad guy is. Not an easy task.

This is very true. I have a lot of pity for your common US foot soldiers who got stuck in the middle of a hostile country by an administration that lied repeatedly to further its own ends.

Edit: nobody saw my typo?

[Q Classic]

no it's not vietnam. it's a desert.

[molly bloom]

More Northern Ireland, with sand. Or civil war Lebanon, circa the 1980s...

See, you can't tell the good guys from the bad guys, the Shi'ites from the Sunnis, the Kurds from the A-rabs, the Baathists from the non-Baathists. If only they could be more like the injuns used to be, with warpaint and feathers and sich...

I feel sorry from any coalition troops stationed in Iraq- a population full of hostiles indistinguishable from friendly forces, religious and political fanatics willing to commit suicide to achieve their military/political objectives- welcome to America's Chechnya in the making.