Tet II?

The John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs ^ | April 2004 | Robert Alt

[quidnunc]

Baghdad, Iraq – The media hailed the recent battles in the Sunni Triangle and the coordinated attacks orchestrated by radical Shia cleric Muqtada Al Sadr’s militia as evidence of a new crisis in Iraq. The Guardian, for example, referred to the conditions in Iraq as being "[o]n the brink of anarchy," and the New York Times opined that "the events in Falluja[h] and the other cities on Sunday appeared likely to shake the American hold on Iraq more than anything since the invasion…" It wasn’t long before Senator Ted Kennedy waded into these deep political waters, declaring Iraq to be "Bush’s Vietnam." Unwittingly, the Senator may be onto something. The recent round of attacks bears a striking resemblance to a particular battle in Vietnam — the Tet offensive — a battle that America decisively won on the ground, but lost in the press.

To understand the similarities between the Tet offensive and recent activity in Iraq, it is necessary to revisit both. In the Tet offensive, the North Vietnamese forces abandoned guerilla tactics to launch a massive coordinated assault across South Vietnam. They engaged hard targets, including the United States embassy, which they stormed but never actually entered. While U.S. casualties were high, the military scored a major victory, putting down the offensive in a matter of days, and inflicting astronomical casualties on the opposing North Vietnamese forces. However, the images of the fighting at the embassy and the media’s emphasis on U.S. casualties led Americans to believe that the U.S. had suffered a major setback.

In Iraq, anti-Coalition elements likewise abandoned guerilla warfare this past Sunday for a series of coordinated attacks on hard targets designed to be spectacular — or, more precisely, media spectacles. …

[AntiGuv]

There were more than 70,000 Viet Cong involved in the Tet Offensive. The standards sure have gone down in the past 35 years..

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[tet68]

In the Tet offensive, the North Vietnamese forces abandoned guerilla tactics to launch a massive coordinated assault across South Vietnam.

Freaking idiot doesn't know a damn thing about the Vietnam
war, no point in reading further.

[abc1]

I cannot believe someone has not thrown a net over this guy yet.
This is not Tet because this is not Vietnam.
The reason we are in this part of the world is because people there, and not just Iraqi's, have failed to take responsibility for their governments. Sadly, these people suffer the consequences of their inaction. As a result, these governments have run amok subsidizing and supporting terrorists who would act these same governments self loathing and inadequacies at being unable to act as responsible leaders. It is unbelievable that in 4500 to 5000 years of civilization (?) democracy is still not understood in this part of the world, with the exception of Israel.

[MarMema]

Can you elaborate for my benefit? I am curious because there used to be a freeper here who was closely allied with islamic terror-types. Fusion was his name. He said over and over that that Bosnian islamic terrorists had studied our military history and strongly believed that Tet was our weakest time.
He said they planned to re-do that kind of offensive whenever possible against us. Which makes this post interesting to me.

[tet68]

The Tet "offensive" decimated the VC cadres (NOT to be confused with "North Vietnamese" as the author seems to be
doing. Far from being a time of weakness for the US it would
have marked the end of the chances for NVA success, yet the
propaganda efforts by leftist media icons destroyed any
semblence of that reality and turned it into a "Defeat".

Any resemblance between what is happening in Iraq and "Tet" are purely wishful thinking in the minds of the leftists.

[Drammach]

It appears the "Iraqi Tet" offensive may already be over, for the most part..

Although I wonder what the hell is going on with the "humanitarian aid" going into Fallujah...
That's about the most idiotic thing I have ever heard of.. Right in the middle of your show of strength and resolve, you take a "time out" to exhibit weakness in the face of the enemy...
( Maybe it's some sort of subtle "psychological warfare" designed to give insurgents enough confidence to attack again.? )

[quidnunc]

MarMema wrote: Can you elaborate for my benefit? I am curious because there used to be a freeper here who was closely allied with islamic terror-types. Fusion was his name. He said over and over that that Bosnian islamic terrorists had studied our military history and strongly believed that Tet was our weakest time. He said they planned to re-do that kind of offensive whenever possible against us. Which makes this post interesting to me.

Even though it was a resounding military victory for our side, the Tet offensive was a strategic defeat for the U.S. because this was the event which turned American public opinion against the war in resdponse to negative media reports.

[isom35]

brute?

[quidnunc]

isom35 wrote: brute?

Huh?

I think you need to flesh your question out just as bit.

[Docbarleypop]

In my opinion, I would welcome a "Tet" style offensive, The only thing that Ive disagreed with the pres on is that he declared the end of combat too soon. A major conventional push by the insurgents would be slapped down much quicker than the guerrilla/terroristic tactics that are going on now.

[R. Scott]

Any resemblance between what is happening in Iraq and "Tet" are purely wishful thinking in the minds of the leftists.

There are very real similarities.
1. The enemy is being beaten back with sever loses.
2. The Liberal Press is siding with the enemy as an active propaganda arm.

[MarMema]

Thanks. It sounds like the approach they are seeking, according to Fusion, is to sway public opinion. Which is perhaps what was behind the burned bodies being hung on the bridge...

[kabar]

ET II, Tedius?

[WOSG]

But one analogy is apt:
Our enemies are getting their butts kicked military and yet they manage to 'win' the PR war.

And there is one common theme: A media that is out to spread anti-americanism, despair, and ignores any consideration of the success of our endeavor.

[Uncle Miltie]

The Tet Offensive I fear is if Islamicists in the U.S. coordinated an attack on Synagogues on Yom Kippur.

[isom35]

a very poor joke attempt on my part. Et tu, Brute?......

Tet II, Brute? long live mst3k.