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Some Americans Draw Iraq-Vietnam Parallel
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Some adults in the United States are concerned about the long-term prospects of the coalition effort, according to a poll by TNS released by the Washington Post and ABC News. 42 per cent of respondents believe the U.S. is heading for the same kind of involvement in Iraq as it had in the Vietnam War, while 52 per cent disagree.
An American military intervention in Vietnam left more than 1.5 million dead from 1964 to 1975, including 58,226 United States soldiers.
In April 2004, Democratic Massachusetts senator Edward Kennedy stated that the war in Iraq had become the current administration's "Vietnam." U.S. president George W. Bush rejected the suggestion, saying that it "sends the wrong message to our troops and sends the wrong message to the enemy."
The coalition effort against Saddam Hussein's regime was launched in March 2003. At least 1,690 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 12,800 troops have been injured.
On Jun. 7, Bush outlined his strategy on Iraq, saying, "We're training Iraqi forces so they can take the fight to the enemy, so they can defend their country. And then our troops will come home with the honour they have earned." 65 per cent of respondents believe the Bush administration does not have a clear plan for eventually withdrawing most soldiers from Iraq.
Polling Data
Do you think the United States is heading for the same kind of involvement in Iraq as it had in the Vietnam War, or do you think the United States will avoid that kind of involvement this time?
Another Vietnam | 42% |
Will avoid that | 52% |
Already in it | 3% |
No opinion | 3% |
Do you think the Bush administration does or does not have a clear plan for eventually withdrawing most U.S. troops from Iraq?
May 2005 | Mar. 2004 | |
Does | 33% | 32% |
Does not | 65% | 64% |
No opinion | 2% | 4% |
Source: TNS / Washington Post / ABC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 1,002 American adults, conducted from Jun. 2 to Jun. 5, 2005. Margin of error is 3 per cent.