Vietnam War And The Iraq War example essay topic

Potence and Act "The gods fill with gifts to those men who want really to lose" There is not a thing more incongruous than pretending to understand History, since History is usually full of chaos, lies, and bloody tragedies. To analyze the reasons for going to a war is always a dirty task. In this essay, I will analyze Mr Bush's reasons to start a war against Iraq. I will also compare the Vietnam war and the Iraq war. Finally, I will discuss the lesson Vietnam left us. According to Bush, there are three main reasons for going to the war: Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, Hussein helps Al-qaeda and is a brutal dictator.

All these reasons cannot convince us. Let us analyze the first reason. The UN inspectors have not found any weapons; they have found some old warheads that do not work effectively. Mr Bush has only proved that Hussein does not want to collaborate with the inspectors -destruction of documents, threats, and obstruction. however Bush has not fully proved that Hussein has weapons of mass destruction. In addition, the White house has said that they cannot divulge evidences without revealing technological secrets or espionage network. This means that, since now, the President's word is the only requirement to begin a war.

Although Hussein might have weapons of mass destruction, Iraq is a secondary risk. After the Gulf war, the economic blockade has turned Iraq into a broken country, where children die by malnutrition. Therefore, its arsenal cannot be very powerful. Iraq does not have nuclear bombs nor long reach missiles; it has, however, biological weapons and chemical weapons.

According to CIA, Hussein can only use these weapons against an invader. On the other hand, North Korea has missiles and plutonium to make two or more bombs in a short time -King Jong Il is proud of its weapons and threatens America without fear- and Pakistan, momentaneous and unstable ally, has chemical weapons, nuclear bombs that aim toward India. The second reason: Hussein helps or has some kind of connection with Ben laden. Despite of the intense inquiry, there is no evidence to affirm that Hussein is connected with Al-qaeda. By contrast, Hussein has been killing pro-Islamic leaders, as Ben laden, for many years in Iraq. Al-qaeda hates Hussein's regime as much as Israel's.

It's a fact that Ben laden was in Kuwait fighting against Iraq. Hussein, to avoid any misunderstanding that relates with terrorism, killed Abu Nida l who was his non-Islam-terrorist-leader. Invading Iraq to prevent terrorist attacks is not a good idea. The occupation and humiliation of another arab country might make many young people want to be part of terrorist groups. The third reason -to establish democracy in Iraq- sounds right but it is wrong. Although nobody can deny that Hussein is a cruel dictator and a killer.

The possible successors, shi " ite, sunni or kurd, will also follow his doings. The third reason is false because Cheney, Vice-president, and Rumsfeld, secretary of defense, helped personally the "Butcher of Baghdad" during the 80's. Reagan allowed Iraq to use chemical weapons against Iran. In addition, Arabia and Kuwait, two allies against Iraq, are absolute monarchies and Mr Bush protects oppressor Governments such as: Alien in Azerbaijan, Nazarbaed in kazakhstan, and Karimov in Uzbekistan. The previous stated reasons are false. Incredibly, Bush never comments the most obvious reason: Petroleum.

In fact, the United States produces just 45% of its consumption. Even though The United States counts on Alaska, its oil reserves are going to reduce to 35% in 15 years. Two thirds of the world petroleum is in the Persian gulf. The United States cannot only depend on Saudi Arabia -Ben laden's country-. The United states need to take over Iraq where there is 15% of the world petroleum.

My opinion is Mr Bush took the decision to have a war against Iraq and after he invented the reasons. That explained why his obsession to go to the war, in spite of many voices that ask for peace around the world. When wars begin with lies never finish very well. Let us remember the Vietnam war. What was the Vietnam war?

In the beginning, it was a lie said by a president of The United states. John Kennedy said: " this is not Korea". When there were thousand of military advisor patrolled Vietnam. Subsequently, the military help was insufficient and a half million of American soldiers went to Vietnam, but the new "help" was useless to win the war. The president South-Vietnamese, Ngo din Diem, wanted to suspend the war and to negotiate a peace treaty. CIA killed Ngo din Diem later.

Also, the American president Lyndon Johnson tried to initiate peace conversation with the enemy to stop the war and to achieve Hubert Humphrey, democrat candidate, to win the election. Richard Nixon, republican candidate and hawk, bribed The General Vietnamese Thieu in order to sabotage the negotiation. Nixon won the election. the war continued five more years, and there was a million of dead people. Finally peace treaty was signed in Paris At the end, Vietnam was a ruined country: Two million of dead people, three million of mutilated people, many million of hectares of land devastated by the "orange agent", a broken economy for three generations, and the communist guerrillas owners of power. Vietnam was a clear lesson: to destroy a country does not mean to defeat it. To win a war means that the other country gives up being an enemy and turns in an ally.

The United states has been acquiring new enemies during of 50 years of military actions: Libya, North- Korea, Iran, Iraq, Cambodia, and Vietnam are some examples. Now Bush wants to acquire more.