Learning the Vietnam Lesson

The vote on the new constitution is completed in Iraq. It has been a great success. Attacks were way down compared to the vote in January. 13 vs 347. Roger Simon has a roundup as does Instapundit and Gateway Pundit.

I think our military and political leaders have taken the lessons of Vietnam to heart. We had won that war, but it took too long. From '65 to '73. Public sentiment against became too deeply entrenched.

With better tools and plans we have cut the time considerably.

Attacks are down by 96%.

That is astounding. When an army (even an insurgent army) loses that kind of effectiveness (especially considering that the attacks did not meet their goals even in the instance of greater combat capability) the end is nigh.

Guerilla wars don't end. They just peter out. Looks like we have reached the petering stage.

As some one pointed out in the comments at Roger Simon's, victory will have a thousand fathers. Fortunately we have the e-mails and Google cache to show who was steadfast and those who magnified the doubts. Well that is OK. Often converts to a religion are its most steadfast supporters.

Update: 16 Oct '05 0730z

Number of attacks last January corrected.

Vietnam * Iraq * Iraqi Constitution