Vietnam in Iraq

The Iraq war has brought back the bitter memories and nightmares of Vietnam war, which is one of the most haunted event of an entire American generation.

Though history repeats itself, it doesn’t repeat itself exactly. Vietnam and Iraq are different conflicts in different times, but there are some striking similarities.

Domestic wavelength of America influences its international policies. This is the sign of its un-precedented democratic system, which is nonetheless a very good one. Though its another thing that how much it really weighs in the context of policy making.

During the Vietnam war, the domestic debate turned so bitter that it completely overshadowed the hardliners, and the survival of South Vietnam became America’s national interest in the agenda of both mainstream parties. It was met be a stringent conflicting viewpoint that coalesced behind the conviction that the war reflected an amorality that had to be purged by confrontational methods.

So in Iraq, instead of a military operations, US and Allies must seek a political solution. A political settlement has to be distilled from the partly conflicting, partly overlapping views of the Iraqi parties, Iraq’s neighbours, OIC and other affected states.

Otherwise the cauldron of Iraq would overflow and engulf everybody, as it happened in Vietnam.