Andromeda

It has been pointed out by some that elections in Iraq are not necessarily proof that the mission is accomplished, and to underscore this point, they allude to 1967 comments by the U.S. regarding Vietnamese elections:

"United States officials were surprised and heartened today at the size of turnout in South Vietnam's presidential election despite a Vietcong terrorist campaign to disrupt the voting. According to reports from Saigon, 83 percent of the 5.85 million registered voters cast their ballots yesterday. Many of them risked reprisals threatened by the Vietcong. A successful election has long been seen as the keystone in President Johnson's policy of encouraging the growth of constitutional processes in South Vietnam."
- Peter Grose, in a page 2 New York Times article titled, 'U.S. Encouraged by Vietnam Vote,' September 4, 1967.

What these people do not realize is that Iraq is not Vietnam. Iraq has a different climate, a different culture, a different geography, it's spelled differently, it's capital is Baghdad not Saigon, the countries are different colors on many maps, and more. The things that happened in Vietnam could never happen in Iraq, because only Vietnam is Vietnam. Well, possibly North Vietnam is Vietnam. And Laos, let's face it, no one really knows where that border is. Or Cambodia.

The point is -- the lesson of Vietnam is don't invade Vietnam. Thus, we can avoid repeating the mistakes of history by studying history ... and then making sure we never start a quagmire in a country where we've already had a quagmire. So, from now on, Iraq is off-limits. Once we get out of there. Assuming we do get out of there. But why wouldn't we -- we got out of Vietnam, didn't we?