Lessons are for losers

Early this week, when asked what lessons the war in Vietnam offered for the war in Iraq, the American president said, "We'll succeed unless we quit". I find myself amazed at this gentleman's ability to turn logic on its head, and then having the brazenness to say it aloud.

Arre sahaab, how about the lesson that the war in Vietnam was a completely wasted effort, like the one in Iraq is turning out to be? How about the lesson that if Vietnam righted itself inspite of a deadly civil war, it surely would have been far better off without the US prolonging it?