Actually, I agree with that part of Mr Rove's statement completely. I do tend to see the dialectic of this conflict as one of thesis/antithesis, and I don't like the synthesis one little bit. In short, I do buy into the "clash of civilizations" point of view. Where I disagree with him is my doubt that his partisans have the intellectual substance and moral fiber to conduct this conflict in a winnable fashion. I have no illusions about the Democrats having it, either. It is not just the verdict of history, the "Monday morning quarterback", that corroborates my feelings, the current debacle was foreseen well before the current engagement in Iraq began, even by some of those who accepted his underlying motivations.

We can only hope that Vietnam IS an appropriate metaphor for this age.
Our defeat there neither precipitated a world-wide Communist victory, nor prevented the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union and the mercantilization of China. Except for the many thousands that died or were maimed there, it had no effect one way or the other.

The current administration has two years to turn this conflict around. Let's hope they spend it in creative planning and effective action rather than in a search for scapegoats and the first face-saving escape route that comes along. What I fear is that the damage is already done, and it may be too late for anything or anyone to undo it.