freeSpeech: Bob Schieffer

CBS News' Chief Washington Correspondent Compares The War In Iraq And Vietnam War

(CBS)  From the beginning, there were those who saw Iraq as another Vietnam. I wasn’t one of them because I saw Vietnam up close.

During the Cold War, we chose Vietnam as the place to draw a line and tell the Communists once and for all they could not cross it. Whatever Iraq is, it was never that.

But I am beginning to see parallels in the remarkably similar way the government then and the government now reports war news. During Vietnam, the government was on a never-ending search for good news. Victory was always just around the corner. Over and over, there were sightings of that light at the end of the tunnel.

In 1964, a senator returned from the war zone and declared, "we are winning and everybody knows it but Americans." Sound familiar?

Mostly, the government just overwhelmed us with statistics to prove that we were winning - body counts, enemy bunkers destroyed. Some were right, some wrong, but all proved irrelevant.

I was reminded of that when the American command in Iraq released statistics showing the number of Iraqi civilians who had died violently in Baghdad had been reduced by half between July and August, but when questioned about it, conceded the numbers did not include those killed by bombs and rockets.

Iraq and Vietnam. Two different wars, but when the government spin machine starts spinning, it is hard to tell the difference.

Sadly, there is no difference on one point: We went to Vietnam with good intentions and a bad plan. We may have managed to do the same thing in Iraq.


Bob Schieffer is broadcast journalism's most experienced Washington reporter. He is CBS News' Chief Washington Correspondent and also serves as anchor and moderator of Face The Nation, CBS News' Sunday public affairs broadcast.

Schieffer served as interim anchor of The CBS Evening News from March 10, 2005 until Aug. 31, 2006. He will be a regular contributor to The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.

[gentlearts]

All I know is, as the mother of two soldiers, I don't want my sons to be harmed for the sake of a bunch of Iraqis who don't even appreciate it, or want us there. If the law abiding, decent Muslims are not even willing to stand up for themselves and their values, why should we?

It is far too soon to know whether or not this war will serve the long term good of our country. History has shown how botched the Viet Nam war was because Pres. Johnson was receiving sugar coated info from his advisors and that he unwisely tried to micromanage the military.

So, accidentally, the "maggot infested" protesters of the 60's were right, but for the wrong reasons. Today's liberal media is the current "maggot infested" protester. They don't know if the war is necessary or not, they just hate Presidant Bush and want him to be wrong.

[nynative1340]

Think about it. We haven't won a major war since WWII. The cost of that war in human life alone was staggering.

The Korean 'conflict' ended in a stalemate after losing over 50,000 American lives. We tucked our tails in shame and RAN from Vietnam after losing over 50,000 Americans there.

Considering the weapons that have been provided our troops in Iraq, it's a miracle we haven't lost more Americans lives there.

Unfortunately our misguided leaders have gotten us in a terrible situation in Iraq and we can't just up and leave, and NO ONE has a plan to win nor a plan to withdraw.

A few more inflamatory remarks from the Pope, or Chavez, or that other idiot from Iran might just stoke the fire and create a real ugly situation. We may find ourselves in a situation where we will be forced to tuck our tails and run.

Thanks to our leaders who don't understand foreign policy, we Americans are not very well liked or respected in the world today. In fact, we are downright hated in most non-Christian countries.

Win or lose, my children and grandchildren will be paying for this war for a very long time.

There's no free lunch...

[lonnie461]

Katie C. promised that this "new idea",liberals love those, would be "people from outside established news etc." to speak. Now we know how much we can trust her word for the future. That lasted until Bob S. and Eugene R. got "itchy", or whatever it is called, and just had to have a platform. Of course, voicing his own biased opinions didn't bother Bob S. when he was anchor, why should honesty bother him now. CBS in general has lost any sense of decency, if they ever had any at all.

[lonnie461]

Firstly, Bob Schieffer probably doesn't remember, or care (why let facts get in the way), that in 1964 the outside National forces of North Vietnam and China had not yet been allowed by Lyndon Johnson to INVADE South Vietnam. We were winning the contest against the Viet Cong to the point that the North realized they must INVADE to preserve communism. Lyndon's reaction to that was simply panic. Only when the liberal biased press (such as Dan Rather) began to lie to the American people on a nightly basis to call several events "defeat" right up til the Tet in 1968. That should have been the beginning of the end for the NVA except for the lies of those like Ramsey Clark, Jane Fonda, John Kerry, and congregated members of the "press". Of course, he would like to forget the 1.5 MILLION Vietnamese and Cabmodians slaughtered by the North as soon as we gave up and ran. Our nightly "press" refused to give those facts out since it shows the cowardice and bias. Christians in South Vietnam(past) are to this day persecuted by the North with no reporting by people like Bob Schieffer who think that is just fine. The Christians deserve it, right???

[truth2008]

davros69, that is EXACTLY the same kind of rhetoric we heard back in 1969. "We must show our resove and see this thing through."
PLEASE! Just as the communists from North Vietnam never attacked your hometown or mine.....the insurgents in Iraq, (who by the way weren't there until Bush invaded) never attacked anywhere in this country, and wouldn't be in Iraq now if this incompetant president hadn't gone headlong into this thing without thinking it through first.
And dont hand me the "what about 911" thing......because Iraq and Saddam Hussein had NOTHING to do with it.
What's best for my family is to be a part of a United States that is respected internationally, rather than oe tat is loathed and feared by the rest of the world.
I am SO sick of 911 being used as an EXCUSE for EVERYTHING from job losses, to recession, to gas prices, to attacking a sovereign country, and on and on and on..........

[davros69]

Remember, remember, the 5th of november.

No, Truth2008. We committed to this. We will see it throught.
You want to site on the sideline, be monday day quarterback, fine. This is not a simple war of your right,Im wrong. Catch up to reality. What is best for your family, Huh, Tell us

[davros69]

A reminder for country.
3000 plus lives innocent live lost. Brothers, Sisters, Mothers, Fathers, Cousins, Grandmothers, Grandfathers. Soon to be Brothers, Sisters, Mothers, Fathers, Cousins, Grandmothers, Grandfathers

Our volunteer Sevicemens, That were Brothers, Sisters, Mothers, Fathers, Cousins, Grandmothers, Grandfathers. Soon to be Brothers, Sisters, Mothers, Fathers, Cousins, Grandmothers, Grandfathers

[truth2008]

I agree with Schieffer 100%. Maybe ths wasn't "Vietnam" in the beginning.
But it sure has become something uniquely resembling of a war that a)we can't get out of because of what will happen after we leave, b) we have to win because if we don't, the enemy will feel emboldened, and c)we can't seem to win and end anytime in the near future.
The rhetoric is the same, only the names and dates, and the longetude and latitude have changed.

[liberalmedia]

davros,

I don't understand your question. Who is killing whom? A lot of people are killing a lot of other people. Iraqis are killing Iraqis. Terrorists are killing Iraqis. Terrorists are killing US troops and contractors. US troops are killing terrorists and also some Iraqis. Everyone is killing everyone else.

I don't really see what that question has to do with the right of our people and our press to disagree with the policies of the White House when we see fit, and to see propaganda and call it what it is.

[davros69]

Mr.Iberalmedia, Let me Mr.Iberalmedia, Let me imploy a thought , who%u2019s killing who?

[davros69]

Need to Here more from the Muslim community. They have to voice. What are there voices, What have they got to be said? Speak up!!!!!, give us you%u2019re voice. Where do you stand?
Devil or what. SPEAK UP, SAY SOMETHING. SAY ANYTHING. JUST SAY SOMETHING. In The U.S in America you have a Voice. Express it, It%u2019s your Right.

[liberalmedia]

I think the point that Mr. Schieffer is trying to make here is "Don't believe everything you hear".

Mr. Bush believed and still believes that he was right to take us into war with Iraq. So of course he is going to try to make everything sound like progress is being made over there, even when scores of people still die every day from car bombs or kidnapping and murder.

And maybe we are making progress, although that is hardly ever shown on the news. But I am glad that the news media is there to present a voice that doesn't always agree with what the government says. A news media free from government influence or control is vital to any free nation. That is something that Mr. Schieffer has said numerous times.

So the next time you start crying about the critical coverage of the White House and blaming everything on "liberals" and "defeatists", maybe you should consider moving to a nation where the news media supports the president 100% of the time. There's one nearby. It's called Cuba.

[davros69]

Why are my word got symbols between them? I typing straight forward

[davros69]

parsrelee, that is an untrue.
We did not go in for WMDs. went in because of threat to national security. WMDs were No. 6 on the list.
We went in of violations of U.N resolutions, 11 times.
He was never accused of been affiliated with any terrorist organizations.
OP. Iraqi freedom means just what it means.

[ronbarton-2009]

Dear mr schieffer,

You want to compare this war to Viet Nam and declare our defeat! That's what the news media (and the nightly news) did 30+ years ago. The brave young soldiers of the Viet Nam era actually won the battle in the fields (even though the fight was very difficult and yes, the democratic President at the time did not tell us the truth). The Ted offensive was a major military defeat for North Viet Nam, but the news media led the way to our surrender to the enemy.

Your understanding of history is far so short sighted. Let's state some facts. Mohammad was born in 570 and died in 632. In less than 100 years after his death, Islam has spread the faith by the sword through the Mid East, across North Africa and into Spain. In less than 100 years Islam claimed more of the world than Rome at it's greatest glory!

Now Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has served notice to the world that Islam WILL spread the faith by the sword and regain the world for Islam.

signed... a proud Viet Nam era vet.

[davros69]

The so called spin, have you heard, the dully elected by U.S Law, the President of the U.S has been Insulted on the floor of the UN, what outrage do we see from our country. The answer is %u201Cwhatever%u201D.
These words from Hugo or President TOM are fighting words. I%u2018m Catholic, Bush is Protestant. We both see eye to eye on this one. My Stance is Down with oppressions, dictators, Kings, and alike. Freedom will prevail. Freedom will prevail. Take that from an Irishman.

[parsrelee]

Bob, there are a few more parallels: in both wars the American Public was mislead by their Executive leaders in the reason for going to war. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was exacted from Congress by an event that wasn't truthfully interpreted to Congress or the citizens. In Iraq it was WMDs and Saddam Hussein's (untrue) connection to Al Queda. Additionally, the US Congress rushed to jugdment in both instances and did not do the neccessary oversight in what became our WARS, which THEY Constitutionally are supposed to declare. The list Will Go ON unfortunately. (Remember LBJ saying we could afford both guns and butter?)

[davros69]

the day of the media, will be blemished, and never rule of its people.
Davros 09/06

[mwe3wm]

I would like to thank CBS for this forum.

I agree with Mr. Schieffer that the government looked for a spin in Vietnam and does so today. We all want to show success in the actions we take and we cannot expect any less from our government.

What concerns us all is that we now have to support actions that are un-supportable. Pressure is always on a subordinant (Generals in the field) to report what superiors (The President) want to hear.

Mr. Schieffer opinions are founded in fact and reflect his experiences and expertise.

The only concern I have is that CBS committed to provide a forum for non-news professionals to speak their opinions and Mr. Schieffer has now spoke twice. I always like Mr. Schieffer's views and I did not like seeing him replaced. If CBS wants to allow Mr. Schieffer air time, then give him a spot on the national news, or give him back his anchor.

Please leave Free Speach to the target presenters or re-name it as a news segement.

Michael Edwards
Texas

[davros69]

Remember, remember, the fith of november