Pick up any newspaper or point your web browser to any major or minor news publication and questions like these will be all over them. A lot of Americans feel that the War on Terror and our presence in Iraq has lasted too long. Are they correct? Should we pull out and call it quits? Should we have another repeat of the Vietnam War? Believe it or not, that's how a lot of people view this war, as another Vietnam. They feel that we are out there, putting the American nose into something that shouldn't be picked. But they are not entirely true.
[I] feel that the war in Iraq was a justifiable one and that it was something that was needed. Saddam Hussein was a dictator who ruled with an iron fist and if someone opposed him or he didn't like anyone, he found a way to "eliminate" them. He was starting to become a threat not only to himself, but to his neighboring countries. Back in the early 1990's, he was a threat to Kuwait and we helped quell that conflict, but because the American public did not want the troops or the president to go any further, they held back for one reason or the other.
The War in Iraq has sparked an abundance of criticism since its start in March of 2003. Now, four year later, the criticism has only intensified. The fact of the matter is that upon invasion of Iraq four years ago, the reasons were justifiable based on the evidence at hand. Our American troops, some 3,386 of our armed service members have given their lives for a cause that they felt was just, according to an Associated Press count that was conducted on Friday, May 11, 2007 (Associated Press, 2007). The devastating number is a cruel reminder as to how dangerous a war can be in general, but even more so when guerrilla warfare is present. In general, the majority of surveys conducted nationwide, showed that the public feel that the war has gone on a much greater period of time than anticipated, and now want the American troops to come home. The question at hand is how to withdraw the troops, safely, without leaving the country of Iraq with devastating effects. Officials may speculate amongst themselves and debate the matter in full intensity, but no answer has ever been reached.
As the months go on, more and more evidence is apparent to the general public as to why we have staked our stay in Iraq so long.
The U.S. Involvement in the Vietnam War Was Justified. The Vietnam conflict has been known to be the most unpopular war in the history of the United States. The war of 1812, the Mexican war and the Korean conflict of the early 1950's were also opposed by large groups of the American people, but none of them generated the emotional anxiety and utter hatred that spawned Vietnam. The Vietnam war caused people to ask the question of sending our young people to die in places where they were particularly wanted and for people who did not seem especially grateful.
According to the USA News, the war in Iraq was totally worth it. Despite the loss of almost 4,488 American and more than 32,000 Americans wounded, America have to remember that Iraq was out for the USA and had we not freed Iraq from Saddam dictatorship then we would still be today fighting. The facts and the truth may never be truly reveled, but the fact stands that this war had to happen and Iraq needed America to aid them to their freedom and democracy (USA News).
September 11, 2001 marked a tragic day in the history of the United States; a terrorist attack had left the country shaken. It did not take long to determine those who were behind the attack and a call for retribution swept through the nation. Citizens in a wave of patriotism signed up for military service and the United States found resounding international support for their efforts in the war on terror. Little opposition was raised at the removal of the Taliban regime and there was much support for bringing Osama Bin Laden and the leaders of al-Qaeda to justice. Approval abroad diminished approximately a year and a half later when Afghanistan became a stepping stone to the administration’s larger ambition, the invasion of Iraq. The administration would invent several stories and in some cases remain silent of the truth where would prove positive for the Iraqi invasion. It seems they were willing to say anything to promote the largely unpopular and unnecessary war they were resolved on engaging in.
Yet, political struggles and ideological conflicts are now worse than they were under Clinton’s presidency. As “President’s Address to the Nation” is a speech asking everybody to support the troops to keep fighting in Iraq, I, as an audience, am not persuaded at all because of his illogical fallacy in the arguments. In this essay, I will analyze how and what are the illogical fallacies he uses in the speech. The “President’s Address to the Nation” is a policy claim. President Bush is asking people to support his policy that “we” have to keep fighting the war “until either we or the extremists emerge victorious.”
No matter how well intentioned the invasion of Iraq may have been, it was an act of violence and deception that has left many American men dead for no clear reason.
The end of the Vietnam War was not the end of the issues that the war brought up within the United States. The 1970s became a period of violence and distrust of government. The Watergate Scandal was the peak of the speculation of government and ended in the impeachment of President Nixon. This mistrust has spilled into the current state of American society and politics, where the people constantly feel they are being cheated and lied to by government officials. In addition, there is a huge separation between those who are for or against government intervention in other countries. Public support for operations in the Middle East is divided, much like during the middle years of the Vietnam War. One can only speculate about whether the public and government will rally around one stance like Americans did during the Vietnam
On September 11, 2001, our country was hit with enormous devastation, just after eight o’clock a.m. the first of the twin towers was struck by a suicide pilot, the second was struck slightly later. The towers fell just after ten o’clock a.m., devastating the entire country, and ruining the lives of many. A plane also hit the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and another in rural Pennsylvania causing just as much grief. The U.S. is still in mourning, but standing tall, more Americans showed their American pride in the following months than ever before. In the months to come the only thing that was on the minds of millions was: Should we go to war? War is necessary for the survival of our country. Going to war with Iraq is a fight against terrorism. Many people believed that going to war with Iraq is unjust. Some believe that there are other ways in looking at the situation.
The Vietnam War was one of the longest and most expensive wars in American history. It started from 1955 till April 30, 1975. This war lasted for almost 20 years. According to the article "How the U.S Got Involved In Vietnam" by Jeff Drake the U.S attacked Vietman and this wasn't supposed to happen. This war could have been avoidable. The 58,000 Americans didn’t have to die, nor did the 2,000,000 Vietnamese. The U.S government was responsible for their deaths. What the government told the public from the very beginning was that they were going to war because they had to stop the communist menace in Vietnam or other countries would follow suit; that they had to defend the democratic South Vietnamese government against the gathering Red hordes. While other people say it was an attempt by the U.S to suppress a heroic Vietnamese national liberation movement that had driven French colonialism out of its country (Drake, 1993).
“Why We Fight” is a 2005 documentary, directed by Eugene Jarecki, inquiring the dumbfounded intent of the United States’ recent intrusion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. It compiles archival footage and incorporates it with recent interviews, many conducted for the film, but, the film has not revealed anything that hasn’t been exposed to the mass consumption. There is also sufficient contemporary footage as well within this documentary: (1) congressmen making the case for military allocation; (2) the principal actors in the Bush administration quarreling for the obligation of intervening in Iraq; and (3) the 2003 incursion and subsequent occupation. This movie also portrays four Americans whose lives have been directly altered due to the Iraq War. None of
Although many people opposed the war, the discussion should include the part of the American democracy that bought Bush’s argument to invade Iraq. Since the early 19th century, American white-males participated in the first popular elections, they fell victims to the political rhetoric and hoopla full of music, pancakes, alcohol, and cartoons. For my perspective in grade school, many people I knew supported the invasion because the US government persuaded many people. But I think over time, more and more of the American people over time disapproved of the war. The US government persuaded many citizens of several points.
Is The Iraq War present day’s Vietnam War? There are many similarities and differences between the Iraq War and the Vietnam War but I believe there are more similarities between the two wars than differences. The Pressure on the US government, the assumptions about what might happen when leaving the war, media booming the war to the public, and many more reasons supporting that the Iraq War is considered our present day’s Vietnam War.
What does the United States have to gain from a war with Iraq? Supporters of a war with Iraq say it will help prevent the risk of an attack by a weapons of mass destruction developed by Iraq. Critics of a military action that say nothing will be gained, and the U.S. just wants to obtain the oil that Iraq controls. They claim that casualties will be too costly for America to afford. Nonetheless, America should act while others will not for fear of disturbing global peace. Iraq poses a “clear and present danger” to the security of the United States and the security of countries around the world.
Throughout history, the American people have, for the most part, stood united during times of war. The people of America always seemed to rally behind each other. Most people were either willing to fight in the war or willing to take up the responsibilities of those who left for war. The majority of Americans support the decisions of our nation’s government. This was not the case during the Vietnam War.
In spite of this, surveys have shown ongoing public support for the U.S.’s active engagement in foreign affairs (book). Only a minority of people would consider themselves “isolationists”, while most favor an internationalist foreign policy. Furthermore, the knowledge gap about foreign issues is not limited to the mass public. Even U.S.’s counterterrorism officials do know the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite, the two very important Islamic sects in the Iraq’s war. In addition, the changing in public opinion has to do with the context of problems rather its lack of understanding. Americans’ beliefs that the U.S.’s power should be use to prevent clear threats to the national interest led them to support intervention in some situations and restraints in others. Last but not least, studies have suggested that citizens are not easily manipulated by their leaders. Rather, they are able to distinguish vital U.S. interests from those that are not worth risking American lives
In the election of 2004, the bush campaign ran an advertisement; whose focus was to act on the fear of Americans. The bush campaign ran an ad titled “Finish It” (1). This ad showed that the war in Iraq was necessary, and needed, and if John Kerry was elected to office the harmful acts against America would go unpunished. I didn’t particular like this ad, but I think the message was clear and a lot of Americans identified with this ad. The impact of this ad, caused myself and many others to think, that if we elect a new president in war time, what would happen to the people in Iraq, and more importantly what would happen to the troops.