Ramadan Offensive - Aftermath

Aftermath

Many people compared the Ramadan Offensive with the Tet Offensive of 1968 in the Vietnam war. Some also said that the similarities to Tet were chilling. In 1968, the attacks came at the onset of the Vietnamese New Year, a holiday that American command believed would herald a temporary quieting of the violence. In Iraq, these attacks came at the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The American command in Baghdad believed the holiday would bring a slacking of the attacks that had been plaguing American forces. This assumption ran so strong that the Baghdad curfew was partially lifted by American forces. The most pointed similarity was clear: These attacks were meant to cause a political reaction. The United States military, on the whole, will not be undermined by the attacks. The political ramifications, however, remain to be seen.