Iraq -VS- Vietnam: Similar, But Not How You Think...

I was invited by one of my Tanker Sisters to check out a discussion board where the subject of the Iraq War was raised, and the cowardly entrepenuer who sold the "TeeShirt with the Names" of my Brothers and Sisters who have given their lives in the War on Terror.

If I may share with you the conversation:

USA TODAY ARTICLE No matter what you believe about the war or about Bush~and we all know we could debate this until we turn blue in the face (LOL)~but the fact that this man is making anti-war shirts with names of soldiers that died listed on them has me so angry I can barely type this. A lot of our soldiers believe in this war and what they are doing. They surely wouldn't want their name on this t-shirt. He did not ask persmission of the families to do this. Granted there are some families, like Cindy Sheehan, that would give their permission. But many wouldn't, and this man DID NOT ask! Okay. Rant over. I'm sure the guys at these blogs would certainly have never given their permission!! TANKER BROTHERS BLACKFIVE There are so many more, but those are my two favorites. (link to post here)

Well, forgive my ego, but I had to include the part where we were both listed as one of her favorites, AND in the same set of links as Blackfive (one of our heroes).

The next poster really stepped on a Tanker Brothers landmine, but she didn't know better.

ITA, Trace. So where are the profits from these shirts going? I either missed it in the article or it did not say. If those guys selling the tee shirts are keeping the money, then they are war profiteers just like Haliburton execs. I admit I'm very confused about the war in Iraq. We took a wrong turn somewhere. Now to me, it looks and sounds like Vietnam all over again. I want the mess fixed before we have another wall with fifty-eight thousand names on it!

UGH. There may be some subtle comparisons to Vietnam, but not in ways that a casual observer may recognize. Confused? Allow me to elaborate:

No, Kristy, we didn't take a wrong turn. This war is nothing like Vietnam, take it from someone who has spent fourteen months of his life there. While I will admit, there are similarities, they are not what you may think. Allow me to elaborate: 1. Similar: The War effort is suffering on the homefront: the public view is tainted by the Liberal Media and their hatred of the President. 2. Different: In Vietnam, we were fighting an organized enemy, North Vietnam, and their support of an insurgent group, the Viet Cong. 3. Similar: Anti-War politicos pounding their fists on podiums, demanding a withdrawal. 4. Different: An all-volunteer Military, who believes in the fight, as opposed to the Vietnam-era draftees. 5. Similar: A deeply divided homefront, with very little support for the War effort. Anti-War is "Hip", and support for the War effort is seen as "Not Cool". 6. Different: Unprecedented re-enlistment rates for Soldiers who have served in Iraq, often re-upping to stay in the same unit so they may return to the Front. Most Vietnam-era draftees would do a tour, then get out of the Military. 7. Similar: a determined enemy who wants nothing more than to kill US Soldiers. 8. Different: The Vietnam War was fought along political lines, Communism vs. Democracy. The Iraq War/ Global War on Terror is fought along cultural and ideological ones. Extremist Muslims want nothing more than to exterminate Non-Muslims, and set up Muslim Rule. There would be no seperation of church and state. In Islam, the church IS the state. The bottom line is that we have to stay the course, we have to win. This isn't a War we can affort to lose. If you would like to get a good look at what we believe, and why we're fighting, I invite you to visit TankerBrothers.com

Now, a few responses down, I knew I had hit the nail right on the head when I read this response:

a discussion with my Vietnam Vet father-in-law last December while listening to 60's music. We talked about most of the things you listed and then some. He told me of his adventures as an Army Ranger. Tilla/Ocotilla the air force deployment widow.

Now, if I can convey some of the frustrations that Vietnam Veterans feel/felt, even now (thirty years later), then the similarites really start to take shape. America has identified their shortcomings in supporting the troops in Vietnam (and if you don't believe me, remember all the "Vietnam" movies in the 80's and early 90's?).

What will the movie makers and bleeding hearts say about the War in Iraq thirty years from now? Will they be apologetic and flattering towards the War Veterans who they now refuse to support?

I love my father. He served multiple tours in Vietnam, and I saw the frustration he felt as I was growing up. I saw many of his good friends get swallowed by their frustration and anger with how they were treated, even as he found strength to rise above it and forgive the people who spit on him and called him names upon his return.

I, as a Soldier and my father's son, can only aspire to forgive the people who would undermine our victory and our efforts by their lack of support and their exploitation of my fallen comrades.

I can only aspire to someday forgive them, but I'm not making any gaurantees.