thedrifter
08-24-05, 05:47 AM
How to Turn Iraq Into Another Vietnam
Written by J. B. Williams
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
The anti-war blame-America-first folks behind the movement to create another Vietnam in Iraq are well versed in how to accomplish their goal. They still have the blueprints from when they created the first Vietnam. But younger Americans impatient with the progress in Iraq have no real memory of how Vietnam happened. So I thought someone should provide a roadmap for success, or failure as the case may be.
Know the lingo…
Creating another Vietnam in Iraq works just like it did in Vietnam; it’s a war of words. It’s important to know which words to use (and not to use) when discussing Iraq. As an example, the Vietnam experience placed the word “quagmire” on the tip of many U.S. tongues for the first time. The word became synonymous with the Vietnam experience as a result of a very focused anti-war campaign designed to define the war with just this one word.
So when referring to Iraq, always use the word “quagmire” somewhere in the discussion because this word still conjures up images of Vietnam, fear, discontent and disloyalty in the hearts and minds of many Americans.
Find a way to directly support our enemies …
The American people will never get behind terrorists, so the terrorists must be seen as “patriots.” These terrorists who keep blowing up innocent civilians without any regard for women, children or their own fellow countrymen, must be referred to as “insurgents.” The word “insurgent” implies that they are “patriots” of a sort, engaged in the defense of their homeland, “resisting” a brutal occupying force raining tyranny and torture (Abu Ghraib, Gitmo) down upon innocent civilians. Thus, “insurgent” is a term every American can relate to and support.
Don’t be distracted by the fact that 9 of 10 “insurgent” attacks in Iraq target innocent Iraqis rather than U.S. or coalition forces. Keep focused on the goal of creating another Vietnam. Don’t get hung up in the details. The American people love to root for any underdog.
Refer to American forces as “Nazis” operating “Gulags”…
Our military personnel must be viewed as the evildoers. Search for remote instances in which we can claim American soldiers acted worse than the terrorists. Claim that the terrorists have the same rights as any American under the Constitution, or the Geneva Convention, or International Law. Exploit all potential opportunities to label the American military and administration as evil. This will bring world pressure upon the military and the administration to fight in a politically correct manner, tying the hands of our military, extending the war, causing additional casualties and then, discontent among American voters. It will also serve to justify the actions of the “insurgents.”
Use your anti-America friends in the press…
The press has a very vital role in the plan. First they must focus all news coverage only on the death and destruction inherent in every war. Ideally, the press should count every U.S. casualty daily, keeping a running total in the headlines and when possible, play footage of American soldiers dying or being wounded. Only interview wounded soldiers, but remember to stay clear of those who want to return to battle and complete a mission they believe to be worthwhile. You must keep the cost rather than the purpose of war in the forefront of American minds.
It is equally vital that the press never show any signs of success in the war, as this will only undermine your efforts by giving the American people some sense that there is actually a purpose to the war and that victory might even be possible.
The press must carefully screen on-air guests. As an example, they should only cover politicians willing to speak out against the war effort, especially those familiar with the term “quagmire.” When speaking with parents of fallen soldiers, set the camera angles and microphones only on the mom or dad who believes their son or daughter died in vain. Do not, under any circumstances, air the vast majority of the parents who have a great sense of pride in the sacrifices of their loved ones. This too would undermine your goals of creating another Vietnam.
Exploit all grieving loved ones who don’t support the war…
When you come across that rare gem of an opportunity to exploit the sorrow and anguish of a grieving parent who lost a loved one in a war they didn’t support, you must seize the opportunity with all the gusto and passion you can muster. These opportunities don’t come often and the American people can’t resist the words of a tearful mother in pain. Get behind these people and make sure their stories dominate the airwaves and headlines. The American people need to have their noses rubbed in the blood of these children they call soldiers.
Refer to our troops as kids or children…
We have an all-volunteer military in America. So in order to convince the American people that our fighting men and women don’t know what they are doing or what they are fighting and dying for, we must first establish that our so-called troops are really nothing more than starry eyed innocent children who had no idea what they were signing up for when they joined the military. Americans by and large will do anything to protect innocent children, so always refer to our troops as defenseless mindless kids who are ignorant of the evil demons they serve in Washington.
Act deeply concerned about the innocent Iraqi people…
Talk about the plight of the Iraqi people who did nothing to us to provoke this war. Talk about how America has an “imperialistic” view towards these poor victims of American brutality. Do not talk about how millions of innocent Iraqis died or were tortured at the hands of the brutal dictator, now out of power and in custody awaiting trial. Do not talk about mass graves, or grade school children locked away in prisons because their parents resisted the Hussein regime. Don’t talk about beheadings, dismemberments or public executions. These facts are not helpful to your agenda. Stay focused on the goal.
Learn to spin all positive reports that leak out…
When confronted with positive facts about schools, hospitals and government offices running at record efficiency in Iraq, use the term “nation-building” in response. American taxpayers don’t like paying for “nation-building.” If they think we are actually doing anything honorable over there that really benefits a people tyrannized for decades, it will become increasingly more difficult to undermine their resolve for completing the mission. Remember, “nation-building.”
Call for early withdrawal of our troops daily…
On the basis that only we love and support our troops enough to bring them home from a “quagmire” they cannot win, call for early withdrawal of our troops daily. Do not use terms like “surrender” or “retreat.” While they are appropriate, these terms have a negative connotation in the minds of most Americans.
Talk about how much you support our troops…
Always state your support for our troops no matter what. Americans don’t like people who won’t support their troops in harm’s way. Meanwhile, calling for early withdrawal will cause the “insurgents” to fight harder, blow up more stuff and attack more innocent Iraqis and Americans. This means we will have an increasing flow of good war footage to support our claim that things are getting worse instead of better, a “quagmire.”
Don’t allow anyone to tell you that your support for the “insurgents” can in any way be interpreted as a lack of support for our troops. Act disgusted and shocked at any such assertion. Remember, only those of us willing to bring those boys and girls home in defeat really support the troops. Act outraged at any suggestion that undermining the mission equals undermining the troops.
Talk about how we went it alone against the world…
Downplay the contribution of some 60 countries that went with the United States and focus on how decent and smart France was in single handedly blocking full U.N. support for the mission. Talk about how the administration lied to the world in order to get us into this “quagmire.” Use all available angles like NO WMD, they did it for oil, for personal profit, for vengeance, or for the Jews. All of these accusations resonate with the American people and they don’t even need to be true. Remember, we have the power to create our own truth, with a little help from the press, perception can become reality.
Talk about peace…
Talk about peace and how America has become the terrorist nation that threatens peace around the globe. This is a tough sell here at home and in most parts of the world, since many have been similarly liberated by the United States at some point in history. But if we repeat it often enough, some will eventually buy it.
Let Hollywood be the face of opposition…
We know that these folks are nothing more than modern day court jesters, who know nothing at all about national security, winning a war, foreign policy, balancing their checkbook or even average American life. But the American people see them as heroes, so they will listen to them when they speak. They are professional actors, so they know what to say and how to say it better than we do. Be sure to support Hanoi “Jihad” Jane on her latest anti-American tour. We need to create the impression that this is a serious movement.
It’s the collective drumbeat that works…
Once surrounded by a constant drumbeat of failure, discontent and demoralizing propaganda from Hollywood, the press, grieving mothers and international opinion, the American people will grow weary of supporting a war. They will question everything they once believed and, eventually, call for our children to come home.
Remember, our soldiers are dying for you…
Our troops are dying for your right to burn their flag, your right to systematically undermine their mission, your right to call them “Nazis” and spit on them when they return home, because this is America and you have a right and an obligation to turn Iraq into another Vietnam. You alone are the voice of dissent and therefore, the true American “patriot.”
continued..
Written by J. B. Williams
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
The anti-war blame-America-first folks behind the movement to create another Vietnam in Iraq are well versed in how to accomplish their goal. They still have the blueprints from when they created the first Vietnam. But younger Americans impatient with the progress in Iraq have no real memory of how Vietnam happened. So I thought someone should provide a roadmap for success, or failure as the case may be.
Know the lingo…
Creating another Vietnam in Iraq works just like it did in Vietnam; it’s a war of words. It’s important to know which words to use (and not to use) when discussing Iraq. As an example, the Vietnam experience placed the word “quagmire” on the tip of many U.S. tongues for the first time. The word became synonymous with the Vietnam experience as a result of a very focused anti-war campaign designed to define the war with just this one word.
So when referring to Iraq, always use the word “quagmire” somewhere in the discussion because this word still conjures up images of Vietnam, fear, discontent and disloyalty in the hearts and minds of many Americans.
Find a way to directly support our enemies …
The American people will never get behind terrorists, so the terrorists must be seen as “patriots.” These terrorists who keep blowing up innocent civilians without any regard for women, children or their own fellow countrymen, must be referred to as “insurgents.” The word “insurgent” implies that they are “patriots” of a sort, engaged in the defense of their homeland, “resisting” a brutal occupying force raining tyranny and torture (Abu Ghraib, Gitmo) down upon innocent civilians. Thus, “insurgent” is a term every American can relate to and support.
Don’t be distracted by the fact that 9 of 10 “insurgent” attacks in Iraq target innocent Iraqis rather than U.S. or coalition forces. Keep focused on the goal of creating another Vietnam. Don’t get hung up in the details. The American people love to root for any underdog.
Refer to American forces as “Nazis” operating “Gulags”…
Our military personnel must be viewed as the evildoers. Search for remote instances in which we can claim American soldiers acted worse than the terrorists. Claim that the terrorists have the same rights as any American under the Constitution, or the Geneva Convention, or International Law. Exploit all potential opportunities to label the American military and administration as evil. This will bring world pressure upon the military and the administration to fight in a politically correct manner, tying the hands of our military, extending the war, causing additional casualties and then, discontent among American voters. It will also serve to justify the actions of the “insurgents.”
Use your anti-America friends in the press…
The press has a very vital role in the plan. First they must focus all news coverage only on the death and destruction inherent in every war. Ideally, the press should count every U.S. casualty daily, keeping a running total in the headlines and when possible, play footage of American soldiers dying or being wounded. Only interview wounded soldiers, but remember to stay clear of those who want to return to battle and complete a mission they believe to be worthwhile. You must keep the cost rather than the purpose of war in the forefront of American minds.
It is equally vital that the press never show any signs of success in the war, as this will only undermine your efforts by giving the American people some sense that there is actually a purpose to the war and that victory might even be possible.
The press must carefully screen on-air guests. As an example, they should only cover politicians willing to speak out against the war effort, especially those familiar with the term “quagmire.” When speaking with parents of fallen soldiers, set the camera angles and microphones only on the mom or dad who believes their son or daughter died in vain. Do not, under any circumstances, air the vast majority of the parents who have a great sense of pride in the sacrifices of their loved ones. This too would undermine your goals of creating another Vietnam.
Exploit all grieving loved ones who don’t support the war…
When you come across that rare gem of an opportunity to exploit the sorrow and anguish of a grieving parent who lost a loved one in a war they didn’t support, you must seize the opportunity with all the gusto and passion you can muster. These opportunities don’t come often and the American people can’t resist the words of a tearful mother in pain. Get behind these people and make sure their stories dominate the airwaves and headlines. The American people need to have their noses rubbed in the blood of these children they call soldiers.
Refer to our troops as kids or children…
We have an all-volunteer military in America. So in order to convince the American people that our fighting men and women don’t know what they are doing or what they are fighting and dying for, we must first establish that our so-called troops are really nothing more than starry eyed innocent children who had no idea what they were signing up for when they joined the military. Americans by and large will do anything to protect innocent children, so always refer to our troops as defenseless mindless kids who are ignorant of the evil demons they serve in Washington.
Act deeply concerned about the innocent Iraqi people…
Talk about the plight of the Iraqi people who did nothing to us to provoke this war. Talk about how America has an “imperialistic” view towards these poor victims of American brutality. Do not talk about how millions of innocent Iraqis died or were tortured at the hands of the brutal dictator, now out of power and in custody awaiting trial. Do not talk about mass graves, or grade school children locked away in prisons because their parents resisted the Hussein regime. Don’t talk about beheadings, dismemberments or public executions. These facts are not helpful to your agenda. Stay focused on the goal.
Learn to spin all positive reports that leak out…
When confronted with positive facts about schools, hospitals and government offices running at record efficiency in Iraq, use the term “nation-building” in response. American taxpayers don’t like paying for “nation-building.” If they think we are actually doing anything honorable over there that really benefits a people tyrannized for decades, it will become increasingly more difficult to undermine their resolve for completing the mission. Remember, “nation-building.”
Call for early withdrawal of our troops daily…
On the basis that only we love and support our troops enough to bring them home from a “quagmire” they cannot win, call for early withdrawal of our troops daily. Do not use terms like “surrender” or “retreat.” While they are appropriate, these terms have a negative connotation in the minds of most Americans.
Talk about how much you support our troops…
Always state your support for our troops no matter what. Americans don’t like people who won’t support their troops in harm’s way. Meanwhile, calling for early withdrawal will cause the “insurgents” to fight harder, blow up more stuff and attack more innocent Iraqis and Americans. This means we will have an increasing flow of good war footage to support our claim that things are getting worse instead of better, a “quagmire.”
Don’t allow anyone to tell you that your support for the “insurgents” can in any way be interpreted as a lack of support for our troops. Act disgusted and shocked at any such assertion. Remember, only those of us willing to bring those boys and girls home in defeat really support the troops. Act outraged at any suggestion that undermining the mission equals undermining the troops.
Talk about how we went it alone against the world…
Downplay the contribution of some 60 countries that went with the United States and focus on how decent and smart France was in single handedly blocking full U.N. support for the mission. Talk about how the administration lied to the world in order to get us into this “quagmire.” Use all available angles like NO WMD, they did it for oil, for personal profit, for vengeance, or for the Jews. All of these accusations resonate with the American people and they don’t even need to be true. Remember, we have the power to create our own truth, with a little help from the press, perception can become reality.
Talk about peace…
Talk about peace and how America has become the terrorist nation that threatens peace around the globe. This is a tough sell here at home and in most parts of the world, since many have been similarly liberated by the United States at some point in history. But if we repeat it often enough, some will eventually buy it.
Let Hollywood be the face of opposition…
We know that these folks are nothing more than modern day court jesters, who know nothing at all about national security, winning a war, foreign policy, balancing their checkbook or even average American life. But the American people see them as heroes, so they will listen to them when they speak. They are professional actors, so they know what to say and how to say it better than we do. Be sure to support Hanoi “Jihad” Jane on her latest anti-American tour. We need to create the impression that this is a serious movement.
It’s the collective drumbeat that works…
Once surrounded by a constant drumbeat of failure, discontent and demoralizing propaganda from Hollywood, the press, grieving mothers and international opinion, the American people will grow weary of supporting a war. They will question everything they once believed and, eventually, call for our children to come home.
Remember, our soldiers are dying for you…
Our troops are dying for your right to burn their flag, your right to systematically undermine their mission, your right to call them “Nazis” and spit on them when they return home, because this is America and you have a right and an obligation to turn Iraq into another Vietnam. You alone are the voice of dissent and therefore, the true American “patriot.”
continued..