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Show ‘The Salt Lake Tribune U.S.-IRAQ AZ Tuesday, November18, 2003 i insurgents invoke ghosts ofVietnam for Bush w president doesn’t deliver results soon, people will jnevitably start to make ‘comparisons,fair or not gents, replace American troops tentially crushing pressures — ‘Bush administration scrambles with an election looming — will ‘to stabilize an unexpectedly volatile occupation in Iraq, no shortage ofcritics are comparing the campaign there to the war in Vietnam. Most of it is just politics. There are numerous important differences between the two from the numberof dead to the duration and the political dynamic driving each. The insurgency in Vietnam flowed from a full-blown nationalist movement. Marauding thugs are waging the violence in affect not only the campaign is Iraq fighting an lasting political victory.” Some of Bush’s most important challenges in doing that are appears to be improving with elections by the end of last week’s successful preemptive attack against one of the 2005. The plan works terror cells that has been mortar shelling the American occupied green zone in Baghdad. Considering the size of the operation in Iraq, American forces have managed to keep the tacks against American troops are on therise as are casualties. This is not lost on the Iraqis, who are dying in far greater numbers than coalition troops. A recently leaked CIA analysis from Iraq reported the locals are losing faith in the U.S. efforts, raising the possibility some will side with the insurgents. If that happens in significant numbers, someof the fundamental charac- Politics vs. strategy: As the 2004 election approaches, Bush will face tremendous political accidental killing of Iraqi civilians remarkably low so far. “American troops are following much better practices than they did in Vietnam,” said Michael O’Hanlon, a defense analyst at the Washington, D.C.based Brookings Institution. “Firepower is generally being used quite carefully.” If the plan to accelerate the teristics of the conflict will start transfer of governing authority pressure to have turned a corner in Iraq. He will have to proveit by substantially drawing down U.S.troops while establishing at least an interim democratically - Free “insider” Report: 877-451-0111 “How to End IRS Problems Forever!” Holiday CandyStores HOLLADAY 1973 East 4800 South (Murray Holladay Road) 274-3520 FASHION PLACE MALL (Next to Dilliards) 293-3474 FACTORY OUTLETS OF AMERICA Draper 130 West Commonwealth 816-1964 (2130 S. West Temple) Stability is key: If U.S. troops and Iraqis continue to die on a regular basis, Bush inevitably will face calls to deploy more troops. McCain, who spent five years as a POW in Vietnam, is perhaps most notable among the lawmakers from Bush’s own party already imploring him to ramp upthe troop presencein Iraq. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has expressed perplexity over Bush’sstrategy. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., a leading member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, repeatedly hascriticized Bush for his handling ofthe war. The Bush administration has been adamant about reducing American troop numbers, insisting quickly trained Iraqi se curity forces can take over. The plan, informally called “Iraqifi cation,” is notably similar to Nixon’s “Vietnamification.” “Nixon’s plan was simply to changethe color of the bodies on the battlefield,” said Bobby Muller, a Marinein Vietnam and now president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Founda tion. “That's what we'regoing to try and do inIraq.” Bush has declared Iraq a suc cessful work in progress. Thus re-escalating troop numbers several months from now would be a political disaster, inviting comparisons not only to Viet nam but to Johnson himself. On the other hand, if Bush buckles under to campaignpres sures and doesn’t respond to mounting body counts anddete riorating security in Iraq, he risks making the hallmark mis take of Vietnam: letting politics guide military decisions. eaeWas CLEARANCE SALE BEGINS WEDNESDAY 10:00 AM NOV.19th FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE ON OPENINGDAY! www.jkharris.com *the (Nation's) most successful tax-resolution company.” -The Wall Street Journal ALL LEATHER SOFA LOVESEAT | 8 WAY HAND TIED 4 JK Harris & Company- Salt Lake City (475 Offices Nationwide) c®EE P 4 COLORS ser NOW $1299!!! Select Models © Free Caller I.D. ¢ Free Paging * Free Voice-Mail * Call Waiting / Call Hold ¢ Three-Way Calling backtothe Iraqis starts showing signs it can workin the next sev eral months, it could lift Iraqi morale. That would giveat least the impression that the occupa tion is moving toward its prom ised, . but widely doubted, conclusion. SALE!! inclined government the frac- tious Iraqis can live with. VETERAN EX-IRS AGENTS & TAX PROFESSIONALS Clients Never Meet with the IRS - Settle for Pennies on the Dollar - Written Guarantee 800-375-9709 n the streets and only if the coalition forces can get a handle on security, and that particular part of the equation is trending heavily downward. At- nowunfolding. IRS PROBLEMS? 4.Free Tax Settlement Analysis: Confidential interview in Our Local Office similar to the collapse of the American campaign in Vietnam Thegoal is stability onit. viewed,” Sen. John McCain, R- tainly implode in ways eerily with Iraqi security forces and accelerate the transfer of sovereignty to Iraqis. ba dency he has staked Ariz., said recently. “Iraq is not Vietnam,butif we are to avoid a debate over who lost Iraq, we must act urgently to transform our early military success into come a popular movement, the Bush plan would almost cer- following the 1968 Tet offensive by North Vietnamese forces. It marked the beginning of the end for Johnson. Still, there is plenty that can go rightin Iraq,andis. Intelligence on the insurgents ANALYS = “For 30 years, Vietnam has been the lens through which all American foreign policy is looking much more like Vietnam. If the insurgencystarts to be- GOOD-BYE LONG DISTANCE & DIGITAL « ROAMING CHARGES! RECLINERS 2 COLORS FROM $99! ! |GRANDMOTHER CLOCKS! OAKOR CHERRY — $169!! T - -Mobileauthorized dealer 1549 N. State St. 801-229-1771 Tobacco Prevention Benefits Everyone DINETTE SET, TABLE AND 4 | CHAIRS METAL & WOOD, GORGEOUS SET!! $189!! CHEVAL MIRRORS OAK OR CHERRY 7 oweezes Year Wireless Phone Experts see 25288 * 2% QUEEN MATTRESS SET_ 5 YEAR WARRANTY! : $199 ser $39 EACH 3 PIECE COFFEE & END TABLE SET $99 ‘TABLE LAMPS FROM $1 9 - COLORS: BLACK, WINE, BEIGE, HUNTER GREEN | Smokingkills your profits even faster than it kills your employees. Smoking is a big negative in the lives of smokers and their families. But it also takes a toll on your busi- ness. 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In Vietnam,politics drove an ill-fated strategy against a poorly understood enemy amid a drumbeat of damaging news. Some of those planets are aligning again. And with American troops dying daily in Iraq, there will be no small audience willing to How Bush handles these po- coverage of his war andits inev- WASHINGTON — As the ‘ nam comparisons,fair or not. itable effect on his poll numbers. And like Johnson, Bush is Gannett News Service weather a rising chorus of Viet- consider the possibility that Iraq could implode the way Vietnam did. The Bush plan nowis to escalate the war against the insur- clearly frustrated with the news By JOHN YAUKEY If he can’t, he will have to mente ah insurgency he clearly never envisioned, which his innercircle assured Americans would never coalesce. Increasingly, officers on the ground in Iraq are starting to contradict the pronouncements from Washington. Political quagmire: Ifthe |