# What is the closest historical analog to what is happening in Iraq?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-closest-historical-analog-to-what-is-happening-in-iraq/381847>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 26, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-closest-historical-analog-to-what-is-happening-in-iraq/381847 "2006-11-26T16:14:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-closest-historical-analog-to-what-is-happening-in-iraq/381847/21 "2006-11-29T03:35:26Z")

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As Mighty Girl points out, we went into Iraq because of WMD’s (which could strike UK bases in 45 minutes).  
‘Regime change’ would have been illegal. :rolleyes:  
There were no WMDs. :eek:

Therfore there is one clear parallel with Vietnam - the Gulf of Tonkin:

‘The Gulf of Tonkin Incident was an alleged pair of attacks – the second of which did not occur – by North Vietnamese gunboats on two American destroyers…’

> **[Gulf of Tonkin incident](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Tonkin_Incident)**
>
> American intervention
> 1965
> 1966
> 1967

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