Iraq, Vietnam, and the Limits of American Power

Since the first days of the Iraqi invasion, supporters of the war have cautioned the public not to view this conflict as another Vietnam. They rightfully point to many important distinctions. There is no unified resistance in Iraq. No political or religious leader has been able to galvanize opposition to U.S. intervention the way that Ho Chi Minh did in Vietnam. And it is not likely that 580,000 American troops will find their way to Iraq. However, there are two similarities that may dwarf the thousands of differences. First, in Iraq, like Vietnam, the original rationale for going to war has been discredited and public support has dwindled. Second, in both cases the new justification became building stable societies. There are enormous pitfalls in America's nation building efforts in Iraq as there were in Vietnam. But it is the business we now find ourselves in, and there is no easy retreat from it morally. As American frustration increases, some policy makers are making the deadly mistake of approaching problems in Iraq as if we are facing them for the first time. It is crucial that we apply the lessons of Vietnam wisely and selectively.

Vietnam and Iraq are now linked forever. But a straight comparison between the two wars does injustice to solid history. In this revised and updated edition of Is Iraq Another Vietnam? historian Robert K. Brigham shows how the similarities between Iraq and Vietnam illuminate similar patterns of U.S. foreign policy behavior. A Vietnam expert, Brigham argues that the United States has turned to a foreign policy of expansion in times if external threat- or heightened threat perceptions- leading to limited Congressional debate and oversight. The results have been devastating. The massive financial hangover will be only one of the Iraq War's lasting legacies.

The mechanisms are in place for change, but so far the U.S. has done little to alter the course of its foreign relations. It is crucial that we apply the lessons of Vietnam wisely and selectively- in this war and the future.

Vietnam and Iraq are now linked forever. But a straight comparison between the two wars does injustice to solid history. In this revised and updated edition of historian Robert K. Brigham shows how the similarities between Iraq and Vietnam illuminate similar patterns of U.S. foreign policy behavior. A Vietnam expert, Brigham argues that the United States has turned to a foreign policy of expansion in times of external threat--or heightened threat perceptions--leading to limited Congressional debate and oversight. The results have been devastating. The massive financial hangover will be only one of the Iraq War's lasting legacies. This title is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand America's policies in Iraq, and the lessons learned and not learned from Vietnam The book that answers the question on everybody's mind-with wisdom and authority that cannot be ignored