Originally Posted by goober

Vietnam bears a striking resemblance to Iraq. In both cases we were involved for years before the major conflict at a low level. In both cases it was a president from Texas who launched the major combat. And I think in both cases the president believed that the whole thing would be over in six months once the full power of the US military was unleashed.

I know Johnson poured hundreds of thousands of troops into Vietnam, and ordered them into combat, while at the same time offering Hanoi a ten billion dollar aid package if they'd make peace, he figured that faced with a choice between a pile of cash and taking on the US military only one choice was possible, he was unprepared for Vietnamese to continue the fight.

I think Bush thought that Saddam would be overthrown by a coup once the threat of US invasion appeared, and he'd have a bloodless victory, I don't think Bush was prepared for Iraq to resist the occupation.

So two wars started by Texans who thought a little tough talk and some swagger was all it would take.