Iraq Not Another Vietnam?

You've heard the wingnuts proclaim that Iraq is not, and never will be, another Vietnam. It's not a quagmire. Yadda yadda yadda.

With U.S. killed in Iraq surpassing the 1,000 mark, that takes us to almost 2% of the number killed in the Vietnam conflict - 58,226 (killed or missing in action).

U.S. involvement in Vietnam lasted at least 11 years - from about 1961 to 1973. I don't know the exact progression of killing of US forces during the conflict, only that it escalated rapidly before falling off towards the end. The kill rate is currently escalating in Iraq. So, our 1 1/2 year war has so far resulted in 1,000 killed. Stretch that to 11 years and we'd have approximately 7,326 killed. That would still only account for 12% of Vietnam kills, but that doesn't take into account the escalation in killing that is currently ongoing.

Of course, the kill rate will continue to go up as the resistance continues to grow and prosper - meaning, that 7,326 could easily go much, much higher. And many think this war could last as long as the Vietnam War - if the American public allows it. I don't think they will, but no politician or member of the 101st Fighting Keyboard Division wants to cut and run - especially not Bush - he's not man enough to admit that he's wrong. He'd rather kill a few more thousand GI's and a few more tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians.

At what point do the chickenhawks admit this is Vietnam? 5,000 killed? 10,000? 5 years of occupation/war? 10?

I'm not sure what their answer will be. I can't tell when they really think they know what they're talking about, and when they're just being dishonest.