Iraq | Chapter 2 Preface
The U.S. deployed 541,000 soldiers to the
Persian Gulf during the 1990-1991 Iraq crisis.
The last time American troops were deployed in
such numbers was in the Vietnam War. In examining
how the Persian Gulf War affected the
U.S. domestically and internationally, both supporters
and critics of the war have made comparisons
to the Vietnam experience.
After more than a decade of fighting, the
Vietnam War ended in American defeat andivisiveness.
For years afterward people referred
to the "Vietnam syndrome" to describe a lack of
public unity and confidence in the United
States. Newsweek reporter Charles Lane writes:
"For half a generation, the memory of defeat in
Vietnam—and the deep national divisions exposed
and fed by that defeat—haunted the
United States. A 'can't-do' spirit seemed to dog
the government's efforts."
Many people argued that the lopsided victory
in the Persian Gulf, coupled with the relatively
low loss of American lives, finally removed any
lingering aftereffects of Vietnam. President
George Bush proclaimed that "we've kicked the
Vietnam syndrome once and for all." Time reporter
Stanley W. Cloud wrote, "When the U.S.-
led forces raced across Kuwait and Iraq. . . they
. . . defeated not just the Iraqi army but also the
more virulent of the ghosts from the Vietnam
era: self-doubt, fear of power, divisiveness, a fundamental
uncertainty about America's purpose
in the world."
One part of the Persian Gulf War's positive
effects, according to its supporters, was that it
reestablished the U.S. as the world's leading military
power. The crisis, writes Newsweek reporter
Kenneth Auchincloss, "was an emphatic reminder
of what almost everyone has known
since at least 1989: that there is only one superpower
in the world and the United States is it.
Given all the recent moans about America's economic
troubles, the reminder couldn't have
been more timely."
Auchincloss and others argue that the victory
led to new respect among other countries for
American power and resolve, restoring whatever
respect had been lost after the Vietnam defeat.
In addition to changing how the world
viewed America, the Persian Gulf War changed
how Americans viewed themselves. In the time
between October 1990 and February 22, 1991,
the percentage of polled Americans who believed
that America is moving in the "right direction"
rose from 19 to 58 percent, while those
who believed America is "seriously off course"
fell from 78 to 39 percent. This change in pub-
Iraq 83
lic attitudes, as well as the many parades held after
the war for American veterans, reflected an
increased patriotism and pride. "If there is a
long-lasting effect of the war, it is the tremendous
confidence that Americans have rediscovered
in themselves, in their industries and in
their country," states Sheldon Kamieniecki, a
specialist in political opinion at the University of
Southern California in Los Angeles.
Easy Success
Whether this increase in pride is beneficial is
a matter of some controversy, however. Some
people opine that the easy success against Iraq
could tempt the U.S. into other military adventures
abroad and ultimately lead to another Vietnam.
Others argue that the military victory in
Iraq has distracted Americans from dealing with
U.S. problems. Government analyst John Herbers
writes: "The engagement has meant a grave
setback for America's efforts to deal with many
of our most pressing domestic difficulties." Herbers
and others argue that the military effort
consumed energy and resources that could have
been better used to improve U.S. education or
health care, or to decrease poverty. Much as the
Vietnam War diverted resources from President
Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs of the
1960s, the Persian Gulf War could weaken the
U.S. by distracting Americans from fundamental
problems at home.
The Persian Gulf War, much like the Vietnam
War, may affect the U.S. for years to come. The
viewpoints in this chapter examine the question
of whether America's victory in the gulf will
strengthen or weaken the U.S. in the future.
84 Current Controversies
