There's been a few comparisons done lately on the first couple of years of Vietnam vs Gulf of Terror II, showing number of casualties, government's handling of the planning etc. What's not been done is expand the comparisons of what the nation accomplished as a whole while simultaneously fighting a war. Granted, Vietnam lasted longer than our current 'war on terror' has.
Highlights
Vietnam:
- Roe v. Wade
- Equal Rights Amendment
- Man on the Moon ^2
- Civil Rights Act
- Voting Rights Act
War on Terror:
- Iraq
- Patriot Act
- Tax Cuts*
- Homeland Security**
- TIA
- Preemptive Diplomacy
- Rejection of Kyoto Agreement, UN's role etc.
- Afghanistan "abandonment"***
These aren't comprehensive lists and yes, there was the Watergate scandal, the deaths of MLK and RFK and many other nasty little hiccups in Washington during the Vietnam war period. What I find facinating is the increased focus on enhancing civil rights rather than suspending/eliminating them because "the nation is at war". When did we lose our way?
Feel free to add your own plus and minus comparisons/thoughts below.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin.
*that benefit the top ~10%
**bloated government
***not 100%...yet