allthumbs Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 Ok... Just to break the tedium up here... Here’s my "Vietnam II " preflight checklist. Regardless which side of the debate you're on it overstates some things, and flat out lies about others... VIETNAM 2 PREFLIGHT CHECK 1. Cabal of oldsters who won't listen to outside advice? Check. 2. No understanding of ethnicities of the many locals? Check. 3. Imposing country boundaries drawn in Europe, not by the locals? Check. 4. Unshakeable faith in our superior technology? Check. 5. France secretly hoping we fall on our asses? Check. 6. Russia secretly hoping we fall on our asses? Check. 7. China secretly hoping we fall on our asses? Check. 8. SecDef pushing a conflict the Joint Chiefs of Staff never wanted? Check. 9. Fear we'll look bad if we back down now? Check. 10. Corrupt Texan in the WH? Check. 11. Land war in Asia? Check. 12. Right unhappy with outcome of previous war? Check. 13. Enemy easily moves in/out of neighboring countries? Check. 14. Soldiers about to be dosed with *our own* chemicals? Check. 15. Friendly fire problem ignored instead of solved? Check. 16. Anti-Americanism up sharply in Europe? Check. 17. B-52 bombers? Check. 18. Helicopters that clog up on the local dust? Check. 19. In-fighting among the branches of the military? Check. 20. Locals that cheer us by day, hate us by night? Check. 21. Local experts ignored? Check. 22. Local politicians ignored? Check. 23. Locals used to conflicts lasting longer than the USA has been a country? Check. 24. Against advice, Prez won't raise taxes to pay for war? Check. 25. Blue water navy ships operating in brown water? Check. 26. Use of nukes hinted at if things don't go our way? Check. 27. Unpopular war? Check. VIETNAM 2 YOU ARE CLEARED TO TAXI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialed Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 Great except for two major differences: 1. No jungle for enemy to hide in which made enemy relatively difficult to locate and destroy with airstrikes 2. More confidence, ability, and reliance in airpower. In Vietnam it was 50% ground forces, 50% airpower. In Iraq it will be like 95% airpower and 5% ground forces And: LBJ might have been a corrupt Texan but he actually had a backbone (Civil Rights Act 1964, for example) unlike Bushy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luna Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 Very good mr trask but you forgot $$$$$$ to rebuild, eye off the ball (terrorism), and that oil thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Schuldt Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 VERRY FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 LBJ was a great man, for all his faults. You can't compare Bush to LBJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 got France? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomcat Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 Dru said: got France? It's FREEDOM .. not France! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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