Vietnam War Terms Creep Into U.S. Debate on Iraq

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The language of the Vietnam war has crept into the U.S. debate on Iraq (news - web sites), with officials and pundits talking of guerrilla warfare, pacifying the country, combating insurgents and even how to leave with honor.

The trend has become particularly pronounced since Sunday's guerrilla rocket attacks on the Baghdad hotel where U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was staying and Monday's four bombings that killed at least 35 people near a Red Cross building and three police stations in the Iraqi capital.

In an editorial on Wednesday, The Washington Post said the wave of attacks "probably is intended to have the same effect as the 1968 Tet offensive in Vietnam: to convince Americans that their troops are committed to a losing cause and must withdraw -- even if, in military terms, that is not the case.

"The attacks so far ... like those of Tet, pose no strategic threat to the U.S. military presence in the country; they also pale beside those of 1968, which cost the lives of more than 3,800 U.S. servicemen and 14,000 Vietnamese civilians," it added. "Still, the bombings have shocked Iraqis, intimidated some would-be allies and strengthened doubts in Congress and the public about the Iraq mission."

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