Iraq, Vietnam and public perception (2 Viewers)

[superchuck500]

I don't think it's possible to compare the two because the division and social unrest assocaited with Vietnam played into a larger picture in America in the late 60s, early 70s.

The civil rights movement reached a boiling point in 1968- with its leaders ardently against the war, but only as a subset of the greater struggle. Then there was a significant generational struggle going on. Not every student protest in the late 60s was about Vietnam. Some of them were about conditions within the university system and a general expression of this new youth's rejection of the perceived restrictions under which the older generation lived.

Vietnam was the centerpiece of the division, but yet just part of the bigger picture of what was going on in America at that time.

Right now, though there is much division over Iraq, the fact the domestic situation is overwise mostly quiet, the Iraq question doesn't lead to the same result. It doesn't fall into a greater picture of struggle among various groups in the country.

IMO, this makes it very difficult to compare. You can't really distill the Vietnam question from the other issues in the 60s to be able to cleanly compare it, side by side, to the Iraq question now.

But as long as there's no draft and 1,000 war deaths per month- Iraq is unlikely to reach that level.

 

[bigfan]

OK...i think some background b4 i answer this may be appropriate: born '70.....dad missed goin to vietnam because the first sergeant to his company said to them "any WSI's....raise your hand" my dad was a water safety instructor at 17 so he and 4 other men raised their hands...out of 200....and they stayed and taught men going to vietnam how to swim...b4 they went.....because some guys didnt know how and that area's like us, lotsa water.......so i really think that is the only reason why i am here.....i believe i wouldnt be here if my dad wasnt a wsi......and that would be my point of my conversation to this thread...they ARE different for many reasons but most importantly, the certain death of vietnam vs. the good chance of life of iraq/afghan.....people dont want to lose others they care about to death, especially if they can see a real good chance of it happening....but the true difference in conversation i have with friends and family and co-workers is the "war on terror" concept....mine is this, you cant beat terrorism....think about it, muslim extremists teach their kids and their kids teach THEIR kids and their kids, well you get the idea...b4 you know it, so much time will have passed that we will probably forget the name of the president who declared war on terror (trivia question-2025) i spent 2 years in the army 88-90...then was re-activated jan 16 1991 to go to war in the middle east by bush sr., it was a wednesday bout 5:30 in the evening....worst knot in my stomach? riding up the escalator in the new orleans airport looking down at my family thinking this might be the last time i see them.............realized i was wrong within the next 48 hrs after i was briefed on the azz-wipin were handing the iraqi's and we were clean-up detail (mechanized infantry so i knew i was gonna see action, but luckily nothin to report)....my stand, we cant beat terrorism...pull out and defend our nation! if we are attacked by osama then DONT STOP til we find osama....dont skip to iraq then come back to....***???........really, bush jr said we wouldnt "stray from the path" but i believe we have.......go to the pakistan borders and find the killer of thousands of twin tower victims....i feel as though i voted for someone who has lost the cause...........imo

 

[blackadder]

OK...i think some background b4 i answer this may be appropriate: born '70.....dad missed goin to vietnam because the first sergeant to his company said to them "any WSI's....raise your hand" my dad was a water safety instructor at 17 so he and 4 other men raised their hands...out of 200....and they stayed and taught men going to vietnam how to swim...b4 they went.....because some guys didnt know how and that area's like us, lotsa water.......so i really think that is the only reason why i am here.....i believe i wouldnt be here if my dad wasnt a wsi......and that would be my point of my conversation to this thread...they ARE different for many reasons but most importantly, the certain death of vietnam vs. the good chance of life of iraq/afghan.....people dont want to lose others they care about to death, especially if they can see a real good chance of it happening....but the true difference in conversation i have with friends and family and co-workers is the "war on terror" concept....mine is this, you cant beat terrorism....think about it, muslim extremists teach their kids and their kids teach THEIR kids and their kids, well you get the idea...b4 you know it, so much time will have passed that we will probably forget the name of the president who declared war on terror (trivia question-2025) i spent 2 years in the army 88-90...then was re-activated jan 16 1991 to go to war in the middle east by bush sr., it was a wednesday bout 5:30 in the evening....worst knot in my stomach? riding up the escalator in the new orleans airport looking down at my family thinking this might be the last time i see them.............realized i was wrong within the next 48 hrs after i was briefed on the azz-wipin were handing the iraqi's and we were clean-up detail (mechanized infantry so i knew i was gonna see action, but luckily nothin to report)....my stand, we cant beat terrorism...pull out and defend our nation! if we are attacked by osama then DONT STOP til we find osama....dont skip to iraq then come back to....***???........really, bush jr said we wouldnt "stray from the path" but i believe we have.......go to the pakistan borders and find the killer of thousands of twin tower victims....i feel as though i voted for someone who has lost the cause...........imo

Or ask yourself why so many other countries are not targeted by terrorism, why the Mujahaddin forgot about the Russians once they left Afghanistan.