The Lessons of Vietnam

Before the illegal invasion of Iraq, many times I read in the papers the opinion that this war would be another Vietnam. The suggestion was that it would prove so deeply unpopular and unprovoked that popular protest would force the war to end. Well, the papers were wrong.

This war is no repeat of Vietnam. Because the past has been studied and lessons learned. This time round, careful measures have been taken. Hospitals have been bombed, so that the number of civilian deaths cannot be calculated by doctors. Despite this, the doctors of the West have shoved their noses into this war and worked out their own rough estimates. The Lancet puts their conservative estimate at 655,000 million dead Iraqis so far. (Lying about the Dead). But the most important factor in avoiding another Vietnam has been media control. Put another way, censorship. There have been reports of western journalists who carry out independent investigations in Iraq being shot at deliberately by US troops. Murdered. (Read Where Is America's Politkovskaya?).

Right from the start of this war, from before the invasion began, our journalists obediently printed what they were told. Mr Hussein has "weapons of mass destruction"? Fine, we'll print it without investigation. Dodgy intelligence about sales of uranium? Fine, we'll print it straight away. In the USA, journalists even created the impression that 9/11 was the work of Saddam Hussein.

In reality, these are not journalists. They are prostitutes.

And another new strategy to avoid Vietnam Number Two. This time round the leaders of the West have decided to terrorise their own population. Take away their right to protest. Arrest five-year-old children. (Kidnapped to Order).

This is no second Vietnam war. Because the "War on Terror" is a War of Terror.