It’s been more than 30 years since the Vietnam War ended. Despite the fact that April 30, 1975 doesn’t hold much significance to young people today, to those who were in that war, it marks a bittersweet memory.
It was the day when the government in Saigon announced its unconditional surrender to North Vietnamese forces, thus signaling the end of the Vietnam War and a defeat for the United States.
But what does the war that our parents fought have anything to do with current events?
Recent news came that the Democratic-controlled House finally voted 223 to 201 on July 12 to withdraw U.S. troops by spring 2008. This move marked a concession by the Bush administration and a realization that perhaps sending more troops into battle was not going to help the unstable Iraqi government.
This move came in response to a 25-page administration report leaked earlier this week that painted the picture of Iraq’s progress as grim.
This report explains that not only is the interim government proving to be ineffective, but also the war effort is also turning out to be more expensive than previously estimated. Current figures released from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, which provides research analysis to lawmakers, reports that the war effort in Iraq now costs $12 billion a month – $2 billion higher than the estimates the Pentagon put out in January.
Congressional analysts report that the total for the war in Iraq is nearing half a trillion dollars, roughly the amount the war in Vietnam cost. Adjusted for inflation, the Vietnam War cost taxpayers $650 billion, according to estimates made by the CRS. Starting to sound erringly similar?
The numbers for the current war can be broken down as follows: $10 billion a month for Iraq and $2 billion for the continuing effort in Afghanistan. Under the current budgeted war effort, projected costs will be 40 percent more than 2006, according to the CRS.
What could make it worse is if Congress approves President Bush’s request for an additional $147 billion for the budget year starting the Oct. 1.
If the request is granted, it would bring the total cost of the war since 9/11, to nearly three-quarters of a trillion dollars.
That’s right, I said trillion.
I find it hard to believe that the $450 billion dollars we’ve spent on Iraq couldn’t have been put to better use.
“Think about what $10 billion a month would mean to protecting Americans from terrorism, improving security at our ports and airports and increasing border security,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
It seems that with that type of cash flow, our government could have been improving many pressing issues on our own soil instead of stirring up a mess in the Middle East.
This spring, Congress voted to continue funding the war through September, but demanded that Bush certify in mid-July and September that the Iraqi government meet certain benchmarks or face being cut-off from American funds. The report released this week denied that significant benchmarks were met.
But despite remarkably low support from both political parties, it’s unlikely that Bush will withdraw U.S. funds. That’s why the House’s vote on July 12 to start troop withdrawal will prove to be a key victory for Democrats.
Bush set out certain goals for the U.S.-backed government, and it’s apparent that things are not progressing according to plan. Common knowledge would dictate that if you receive a reading indicating that you are off-course, then you readjust and change course.
The House saw the writing on the wall and knew it was time to begin the pullout.
The Bush administration argues the troop surge takes a great amount of time to become effective. It feels that success in Iraq will be a long process, and that Congress should only worry about funding the war and not about key decisions.
This attitude, however, ignores plain facts contradicting this course of action.
In every pivotal moment in history there comes a fork in the road where certain decisions can be made to alter the way an event will forever be remembered. Now is that moment.
Let us not repeat the mistakes of Vietnam, of the confusion and turmoil that resulted toward the end of the conflict. Great leaders learn lessons from history, and although Bush will not go down as a great leader in my book, he has a chance to take a cue from the Democratically-led Congress.
If it’s not too late, that is.
-Lauren Englehardt is a communication senior.
-This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec. Send e-mail to letters@thedailyaztec.com. Anonymous letters will not be printed – include your full name, major and year in school.
