Washington DC, April 21
Boasting about his handling of the ongoing conflict with Iran despite a stalemate and uncertainty surrounding negotiations as the ceasefire deadline looms, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he would have won the Vietnam War "very quickly" if he had been in office, drawing comparisons with past conflicts with the current one in West Asia.
In an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Box", Trump compared the duration of major wars that the US was part of to underline his approach to the current conflict with the Islamic Republic.
"When it [war with Iran] is over - they want it to be over immediately - I just looked at a little chart: World War I, four years and three months; World War II, six years; Korean War, three years; Vietnam, 19 years; Iraq, 8 years. I'm five months. Five months. I would have won Vietnam very quickly. I would have, if I were president. I would have won in Iraq in the same amount of time that we won, because, essentially, we've won here. I mean, people can play games," Trump said.
The Vietnam War (1955-1975) was a lengthy Cold War conflict between communist North Vietnam, backed by the Soviet Union and China, and South Vietnam, which was supported by the United States.
Motivated by the "domino theory" to curb the spread of communism, the United States became deeply involved in the conflict, which resulted in more than 58,000 American deaths and over 2 million Vietnamese casualties before US forces withdrew in 1973.
The remarks come amid ongoing tensions related to the fragile ceasefire involving Iran, which is set to expire on April 22, and discussions around a potential resolution to the conflict in the region.
Trump emphasised that while he is open to negotiations, he is not willing to rush into an agreement.
"I want to make a good deal. I'm not going to be rushed. I have all the time in the world. I want to make not a good deal; I want to make a great deal," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box".
Highlighting the human cost of military operations in West Asia, Trump also referred to casualties, stating that losses remain a serious concern despite military outcomes.
"What we've suffered in terms of losses - we lost 13 men and that's terrible. I wish we didn't lose one. But if somebody would have said we've done this and obliterated that country, obliterated it, and we lost 13 men, people would have said that's not possible to have done that," he added.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, with the two-week ceasefire agreement set to expire on Wednesday, raising concerns over a possible escalation of conflict in the region.
The ceasefire, brokered earlier this month to allow space for diplomatic engagement, has remained fragile, with both sides expressing reservations about its implementation.
Ongoing efforts that are expected to take place in Pakistan's capital of Islamabad are being made to hold another round of talks, though uncertainty continues over Iran's participation.
- ANI
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