Is this Bush's Vietnam? I don't think so. I think this is Bush's Iraq. (Or more likely Bushes' Iraq.)
And there will come some future mess. And there will be parallels. And the press will say, "Is this President Whathis/hername's Iraq?"
And the papers will ask:
"Is President Whathis/hername at risk of losing their presidency, the way GW Bush back did in '04?"
"Has President Whathis/hername made a historically resonant blunder here by snubbing the world right when we need them the most?"
"Is President Whathis/hername forgetting one of the most painful lessons of Iraq -- that bringing democracy to a country that's not really a country is something much more than a military challenge?"
And they'll send someone down to the ranch. And they'll ask the former President what he thinks of this new mess.
"What do you think?" they'll ask. "Is this the new Iraq?"
And he'll say: "smoke 'em out. smoke 'em out. smoke 'em out."
And: "evil-doers beware."
-Cecil
(cross-posted over at edgewise -- www.mediajunkie.com/sausage)