History repeating in Iraq

[A_Wanderer]

Found a very nifty article about historical parallels between Iraq and the Pacific Theatre of WWII. It certainly is a more apt comparison than the Vietnam Quagmire label that has been thrown around whenever any fighting is actually done.

Iraq is Not Vietnam, It's Guadalcanal
PUNDITS THESE DAYS are quick to compare the fighting in Iraq with the American loss in Vietnam 30 years ago. Terms like "quagmire" evoke the Southeast Asian jungle, where America's technological advantages were negated and committed Vietnamese guerrillas wore down the U.S. will to fight.

People love to draw historical analogies because they seem to offer a sort of analytical proof--after all, doesn't history repeat itself? In fact, such comparisons do have value, but like statistics, it's possible to find a historical analogy to suit any argument. And Vietnam's the wrong one for Iraq.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/004/669tqiiq.asp

 

[Klaus]

it's possible to find a historical analogy to suit any argument

I prefer palestine as an anology