# Dear Mr. President, will Iraq = Vietnam ?!? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 4, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244 "2003-07-04T15:17:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/1 "2003-07-04T15:17:47Z")
First, I couldn’t decide if this should go into IMHO or the pit, but since I sprinkled it with some low class language I think it should go here. So, the news I’m getting here is sad. I have a friend in Iraq, I worry that one day the news will be about him. [This story here](http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/07/04/sprj.irq.main/index.html) tells how another one of our soldiers was picked off yesterday, (guarding a museum of all things) and 16 others were hurt in a mortar attack. SO WHAT IN THE FUCK WERE WE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THERE AGAIN? Oh yeah, making the world safe for democracy, wasn’t that it? Oh, sorry – Uh, Making the world safe for cheap oil sales? Naah - Weapons of mass destruction, that was it, yeah…sure. I’m so sick of this shit. THE ASSHOLE PRESIDENT LIED! And it’s not the first time! How did he get “elected”? It certainly wasn’t because of his charm or outstanding political prowess. Does anyone out there have any \* idea \* what the Iraqi people are thinking right now? By our standards their form of life sucked dry rocks, but did they _ask_ for our help? NO! (At least not that I know of). Now the lying sack of shit we call the commander in chief (and the press) expects us to swallow the idea that it is NOT the Iraqi people taking out our soldiers one by one, its the left over hard liners, and foreign fighters. Well I’m thinking BULLSHIT! It’s the people, they _don’t want us there!_ And the big question is how the hell is Mr. Bush going to mop up the mess he made before the American people vote his sorry ass out? Oh, I forgot, the people wont be able to vote him out, he will probably _fix_ that too. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/2 "2003-07-04T15:33:37Z")
I’d be surpirsed if US casualties reach the sam levels they did in Vietnam. What exactly do you mean when you equate Iraq w/ Viet Nam? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/3 "2003-07-04T15:36:55Z")
Low class language aside, this thread is Pit material simply because of its vapid ranting. ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/4 "2003-07-04T15:43:24Z")
\*\* SimonX \*\* wrote: > [@](#): > > What exactly do you mean when you equate Iraq w/ Viet Nam? What I mean is, are we going to end up mired in a long drawn out gorilla war. \*\* Bryan Ekers \*\* wrote: > [@](#): > > Low class language aside, this thread is Pit material simply because of its vapid ranting. Your right, but I already hit the submit button. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/5 "2003-07-04T15:57:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*Low class language aside, this thread is Pit material simply because of its vapid ranting. \*\* Fuck off, **Ekers**. Firstly this is posted in the Pit, (the OP just casually wondered if it belonged here or elsewhere). Secondly, what the hell do you mean by _low class_ language? Was the OP a particularly striking example of it? Lastly, the spirit of the OP is clear: “Oh my God, have we gotten ourselves into another unwinnable, drawn-out guerilla war, \* a la\* Vietnam?” WHICH IS A PERFECTLY REASONABLE SUBJECT ON WHICH TO RANT! ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/6 "2003-07-04T16:05:07Z")
What blows me away is the ability of the pro-war crowd to smoothly change their arguments as if their previous ones had never existed. “Saddam has WMDs and will attack the U.S. and/or its allies if we don’t strike first.” became “The Iraqi people are suffering and we can not sit by another day until we liberate them from oppression. They will welcome us, and we will work together to create democracy, which will spread throughout the Middle East.” which became “They haven’t wounded or killed _that_ many American soldiers. Can’t break an omelette without breaking eggs, you know. Who ever said this was going to be easy?” Can’t wait for the next round. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/7 "2003-07-04T16:06:17Z")
[sub] **Great Unwashed** , the phrase “low class language” was in the first line of the OP.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Read\_Neck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Read\_Neck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Read_Neck)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/8 "2003-07-04T16:10:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Giraffe \* > \*\*[sub] **Great Unwashed** , the phrase “low class language” was in the first line of the OP.[/sub] \*\* To suggest actually reading the OP before posting to a thread? How rude. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/9 "2003-07-04T16:14:26Z")
You know, **Read\_Neck** , just about everything you post irritates me but I gotta give you credit – that was funny. Sarcasm: the universal language. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/10 "2003-07-04T16:15:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Janx \* > \*\*\*\* SimonX \*\* wrote: > What I mean is, are we going to end up mired in a long drawn out gorilla war. > \*\* FYI, it’s _gue_rilla or guerrilla not gorilla. Gorilla war is for The Planet of the Apes. While it certainly will be long and drawn out occupation of Iraq, and we are currently engaged in a guerilla war, I’m not certain that the guerilla war will be long and drawn out. If a satisfying degree of stability, (jobs, electricity, water, police, other civil services in general), can be achieved in Iraq in the not too distant future, the incentive to go guerilla will be much diminished. Right now there is still the potential for this stability to be achieved in a timely manner. As time goes on and people are living in inhospitable conditions, (Americans and Iraqis), the likelihood that violence will propagate increases. I haven’t given up hope of things getting better soon enough yet. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/11 "2003-07-04T16:58:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SimonX \* > \*\*FYI, it’s _gue_rilla or guerrilla not gorilla. \*\* This should be the subject of a whole other rant, but why the fuck is it important to correct **Janx** ’s spelling? Just make your point using the correct spelling, letting the “correction” sink in by “osmosis” (or not) – I am sure you will find this solution to be _satisfactory_. **Giraffe** , **Read\_Neck** , I read the OP, thanks for asking. ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/12 "2003-07-04T17:01:39Z")
\*\* The Great Unwashed \*\* wrote: > [@](#): > > Fuck off, **Ekers.** … WHICH IS A PERFECTLY REASONABLE SUBJECT ON WHICH TO RANT! Thanks for the defense, I think you explained what I was trying to say better then I ever could have. \*\* Giraffe \*\* wrote: > [@](#): > > What blows me away is the ability of the pro-war crowd to smoothly change their arguments as if their previous ones had never existed. Man, would that I could articulate things so clearly. I have been trying to figure out a way to say this since the whole “conflict” started, but It always comes out as a lame “Bu…Bu…But…HE LIDE AGAIN! \*\* SimonX \*\* wrote: > [@](#): > > FYI, it’s guerilla or guerrilla not gorilla. Oh, well that just changes \*everything \*. Here I thought we were going to be sitting around throwing bananas at each other. Thanks for the tip though. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/13 "2003-07-04T17:03:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Great Unwashed \* > \*\ ***Giraffe** , **Read\_Neck** , I read the OP, thanks for asking. \*\* I only mentioned it because you seemed to be offended by **Bryan Elkers** use of the phrase, when in fact it was just a reference to the OP’s own joke about why the rant belonged in the Pit, i.e. he wasn’t calling the language “low class” out of the blue, which would have been pretty rude. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/14 "2003-07-04T17:03:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Great Unwashed \* > \*\*…why the fuck is it important to correct **Janx** ’s spelling? \*\* There’s nothing wrong with the excellent method that you suggest using. At the moment though, I felt that if I didn’t correct it nicely, someone would come along soon and correct it harshly. ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/15 "2003-07-04T17:09:08Z")
Well, considering who led us into this war, I think the term _gorilla_ warfare is pretty apropos. And thank you. That’s my drive-by for the morning. I’ll be appearing in Great Debates all next week. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/16 "2003-07-04T17:15:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Great Unwashed \* > Secondly, what the hell do you mean by _low class_ language? Was the OP a particularly striking example of it? How do you walk with your knee jerking like that all the time? ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/17 "2003-07-04T17:17:27Z")
b] SimonX \*\* wrote: > [@](#): > > At the moment though, I felt that if I didn’t correct it nicely, someone would come along soon and correct it harshly. And right you are, I would have ignored the usage and just gone on using the wrong word. There can be (as you well know) some real anal pin heads around who \* insist \*on _perfect_ spelling. I think you were rather civilized. [Ya know, I almost wrote prefect spelling, that would have pissed 'em off!] ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/18 "2003-07-04T17:28:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BrightNShiny \* > **Well, considering who led us into this war, I think the term _gorilla_ warfare is pretty apropos.** “I hate gorillas! I’m a bird!!” - _Bloom County_ ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-mr-president-will-iraq-vietnam/186244/19 "2003-07-04T17:31:55Z")
\*\* BrightNShiny \*\* wrote: > [@](#): > > Well, considering who led us into this war, I think the term gorilla warfare is pretty apropos. Hooooo Hoooooo! I Haven’t laughed that hard in weeks!