"He or she even resisted mentioning continents among the Iraq-Vietnam differences, presumably because both are in the same continent."

Indeed, Peter. I've just reread my first post, and my writing didn't make that clear. I was alluding to the fact that the Republicans who argue that this isn't another Vietnam often use the "they aren't even on the same continent" sorts of hyperbolic comments in an attempt to score points and win the argument.

I believe Lebanon is instructive in regards to that US military swagger you mention, but more importantly, in terms of the factionalism in Lebanon being instructive in ways that the factionalism in Iraq is beginning to play itself out as the region descends into what may end up being civil war. It isn't civil war yet, and I only hope that a Lebanonization of Iraq can be prevented.

I also agree that the Russia/Chechnya war is also relevant to our understanding of what is happening on the ground as a result of the Anglo American invasion and occupation of Iraq.

We need some serious thinkers to find a way out of this. And considering that we have Kofi Annan at the helm of the UN (who oversaw the "peacekeeping mission" of the Rwandan genocide), I'm not too terribly confident about Kerry's intention to take this mess to the doorstop of the UN, if elected.