U.S. Troop Surge - Success or Failure ?

General David Petraeus was reluctant to comment on the current troop levels in Iraq , but the possibility of 30,000 less troops being deployed could become a reality . President Bush has already agreed with Gen. Petraeus on any additional troops that may be required . These recommendations were brought before two senate committees that Gen. Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker attended . The senate hearings seemed more like a partisan cheer leading competition than a serious study of the tactical situation in Iraq , with Republicans praising the successes of the troop surge , while Democrats continue to down play any gains made . " You recommended drawing down before a pause to the level that's 10,000 above what it was before the surge ", commented Sen. Joseph Biden , D-Del . I just love watching these senators whom most have no combat experience try and play commanding general . A few years ago a prominent Democratic senator made the comparison that Iraq was another Vietnam . I took exception to that comment , but in recent months I've had to reevaluate my beliefs about the Iraq War . I still don't believe that it is another Vietnam , however the two conflicts do show some striking similarities . The ability of the enemy to blend in with the populace and conduct hit and run attacks just as the Viet Cong did . Iran supplying ,and sending "advisers" into Iraq , just as the Soviet Union did in Vietnam . And then you have the American gov. trying to micro - manage the war instead of letting the military run it , same as Vietnam . The only exception that i can see is that there're no large scale battles being fought , which also happened during the Vietnam Conflict . Unless of course Iran decides to up the ante and commit it's military to battle , which theoretically could happen in the near future with Iran's admission of having 6,000 new plutonium rods for enrichment . So taking all of this into account the two conflicts to a degree do seem similar . And if that's the case it makes me wonder if America truly had learned its lesson from the Vietnam Conflict . You can't fight a war with one hand tied behind your back .