Bush to Cite Vietnam as Lesson for Iraq

President Bush will tell a convention of veterans today that the Vietnam War was, in the long view, a success that has lessons for Iraq, the Los Angeles Times reports. In excerpts released by the White House, Bush argues that the war contributed to bringing peace and prosperity to the area. "In Asia, we saw freedom triumph over violent ideologies after the sacrifice of tens of thousands of American lives—and that freedom has yielded peace for generations," the draft speech says.

Bush also plans to suggest that the US withdrew from Vietnam too soon. White House counselor Ed Gillespie said the speech, a departure from the president's avoidance of Vietnam analogies, lays the groundwork for future policy in Iraq. "As we face challenges in Iraq today, we do so knowing we have done this kind of transformative work before," he said, "and the benefits to America made the sacrifices worthwhile." (More George W. Bush stories.)