I think there are a lot of similarities between Vietnam and events in the Middle East.

America suffered a huge blow in its defeat in Vietnam.The most technologically developed army in the world was brought low by a Third World peasant army.It has taken a whole generation for the US leaders to risk another sustained ground war......until the invasion of Iraq .

Once again the US finds itself embroiled in a war that it cannot win despite its military superiority. In Iraq million dollar tanks are being destroyed by rocket launchers and IED s costing a few hundred dollars. The cost of the war is astronomical and the American working class is paying for it with cuts to education,housing and welfare programmes etc.

In Vietnam ,faced with defeat.the US   chose to widen the war with the invasion of Cambodia and attacks on Laos.In Iraq, again faced with chaos and carnage it has chosen to give the green light to Israel to invade Lebanon [ see Seymour Hirsch's article ] as a prelude to an attack on Syria and Iran.

Vietnam radicalised US sociey and produced a massive anti war movement.......after three years of war in Iraq the majority of US citizens want the troops home . Bush who is widely seen as a liar and an incompetent.

The TV screens brought the horror of the Vietnam war directly into our homes.The media is now widely distrusted but we have seen with our own eyes the destruction and carnage delivered by the Israeli bombing of Beirut and the Shock And Awe rain of death delivered to Iraq and by God that has brought out even more people into the streets to protest at the warmongers.
hugo