Bush draws parallels between Iraq and Vietnam

The Telegraph(UK) ^ | October 19, 2006 | Richard Alleyne

[Dane]

George W Bush last night conceded for the first time that there were parallels between the current fighting in Iraq and the beginning of the end of the Vietnam War.

Mr Bush has previously avoided the sensitive issue

Mr Bush was asked in a television interview whether he agreed with a newspaper columnist that the current bloodshed in Iraq may be the equivalent to the 1968 Tet Offensive, generally considered a key turning point in the American war in Vietnam.

“He could be right,” Mr Bush said. “There’s certainly a stepped-up level of violence, and we’re heading into an election.”

The Tet Offensive, a campaign launched by the North Vietnamese, was considered a military defeat for them, but the scope of the assault shocked Americans and helped turn US public opinion against the war.

Many Americans concluded that the war was unwinnable or victory too costly.

[Dane]

Mr Bush was asked in a television interview whether he agreed with a newspaper columnist that the current bloodshed in Iraq may be the equivalent to the 1968 Tet Offensive, generally considered a key turning point in the American war in Vietnam.

A history lesson for some younger FReepers. The Tet offensive was a defeat for the Vietcong, but the Vietcongs best friend in America,
(Walter Cronkite)
gave the Vietcong a propaganda coup with his misleading reports about the true ineffectiveness of the Tet offensive.

Also Walter Cronkite has the blood of some 1.5 million innocents in Cambodia on his hands, since with the destabilaztion od SE Asia that Mr. Cronkite helped realize, led to the murderous communist khmer rouge regime in Cambodia.

[Miss Marple]

I will add to your historical comment with one of my own. The biggest parallel between Iraq and Vietnam is the total undermining of the war effort by both the media and the democrats...especially the media.

I have always been involved in watching the news and keeping up with international events. Until about 10 years ago I was under the impression that we LOST the Tet offensive, so terribly biased was the news coverage at the time. I have since discovered many, many people my age think the same thing. It is one of my most effective weapons in convincing people how pervasive and long-existing media bias is in this country.

[Dane]

The media again is taking these comments out of context to promote the idea that America is losing the war

The more time changes, the more things stay the same, especially when it comes to media bias.

[Laverne]

I sent an email off to ABC last night regarding their storyline on the President's response to Georgie's question. The media is working overtime to support the enemy and to harm our troops and their mission. Never again will they have the same power they had in the bad old days. Bloggers are all over Stephie's question and ABC's bogus headli(n)e and bogus reporting. I hope Tony has a live presser today and laughs at ABC's reporting....laughing at them is the best way to disarm them.

[BelegStrongbow]

This is the current headline at al-Jazeera, if one needs further confirmation of how comforting the whole idiocy is for the enemy.

Do we think that the Pubs will launch treason trials (for actual treasonous acts) if they survive in November or are we going to be continually treated to this drivel?

[rusureitflies?]

libs waiting with bad-baited breath for those words in the same sentence.. gheeesss

[Fester Chugabrew]

NPR is salivating this morning. Good morning, NPR!

[Freee-dame]

The only parallels the President was drawing between Iraq and Vietnam was the role of the media in promoting an anti-american defeatist attitude in the nation, and the role of the insurgency of increasing attacks during religious holidays. The media again is taking these comments out of context to promote the idea that America is losing the war.

well said...The White House could use you to speak for them. I wish President Bush was better with clear, sound bite size, responses.

[Freee-dame]

I am amazed that they admit that the Tet Offensive "failed as a military assault" but they sure never mention the role of the leftist press in the US in turning public opinion against the war. The following is from Timesonline.com.

The Tet Offensive, a campaign launched by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese armies in early 1968, is largely considered a major turning point in the war in Vietnam. Even though it failed as a military assault, it was a major psychological blow for the US. The scope of the attack shocked Americans, helping turn public opinion against the war and undermining President Lyndon Johnson

The White House later sought to play down Mr Bush’s comments. "The full context was that the comparison was about the propaganda waged in the Tet Offensive ... and the president was reiterating something he’s said before -- that the enemy is trying to shake our will," Dana Perino, a spokeswoman for Mr Bush, said in a statement.

I wonder what is contained in the missing ... part. This was the only elipsis in the entire article. Does anyone know where to find the transcript?

[mrsmith]

The record clearly shows the enemy increase their attacks when we have an election campaign.

They do so to affect our elections. and the media quietly plays along.

Us Casualties (combined wounded and killed) in Iraq compared for election and off-election years:

Aug-03 216 Sep-03 278 Oct-03 457 Nov-03 418

Aug-04 961 Sep-04 787 Oct-04 711 Nov-04 1566

Aug-05 626 Sep-05 594 Oct-05 701 Nov-05 483

Aug-06 647 Sep-06 847

http://icasualties.org/oif/

[Wolverine]

You can see the media lie here..Watch and learn THE TRUTH!

 

Be sure to see this: http://www.viet-myths.net/AimImpact.wmv 

[auboy]

Bush draws parallels between Iraq and Vietnam: Media Again Tries To Turn Victory Into Defeat - 2006 Media Hate For America Parallel With 1968 Media Hate For America.

[maica]

This twisting of the meaning of President Bush's words has becomes today's media mantra. I heard two conservative talkshow hosts moan about it, now it is the leading message of the 9:30 ABC news.

[maica]

We will never know how that reporter ellipsed the spokeperson's response, but I bet this will by the only topic at Tony Snow's briefing today = which will probably be carried live by every cable channel, perhaps even CSPAN will find that they can run it live.

[OldFriend]

Leave it to the media to run with a total misrepresentation of what the President said.

[af_vet_rr]

A history lesson for some younger FReepers. The Tet offensive was a defeat for the Vietcong,

I've never considered the Tet Offensive a defeat for the VC. Numbers wise, it's a defeat, but battles and campaigns have to be looked at, as more than just numbers. The VC/NVA leadership set out to accomplish certain goals, and they were willing to expend the lives of many of their followers to accomplish these goal, and they did both.

In that regard, they are similar to the Soviets of WWII - the Soviets would sacrifice literally hundreds of thousands or millions to wipe out tens and even hundreds of thousands of Germans - in some instances, numbers wise, the Germans came out on top for this or that particular battle or campaign, but the Soviets came out on top overall.

That's one thing that makes fighting such an enemy so hard.

[stockstrader]

The President is absolutely correct. There MOST CERTAINLY IS a big parallel between Vietnam and Iraq.

In both cases, the MSM, liberal left and the Democratic Party have undermined the efforts of our military and country by providing 'aid-and-comfort' and encouragement to our enemies!

In both cases, that ENCOURAGEMENT and 'AID-AND-COMFORT' served to make our mission much longer, much, much more difficult--while costing many, many more American lives.

In the case of Vietnam--it caused us to lose. In the case of Iraq, their words and actions to undermine our efforts are once again raising that totally unacceptable possibility.

[mad_as_he$$]

W was foolish for even comparing that. They will cut his words into pieces that fit their agenda and kill the Reps with it. Very bad move on his part.