Irish American navy officer Justin McNeeley, 30, of Wheatridge, Colo., was one of the most recent victims of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

He and Petty Officer 3rd Class Jarod Newlove, took a wrong run into Taliban territory and their bodies were discovered this week.

Two more fruitless death in a war that is resembling Vietnam more every day.

The comparisons are chilling:

U.S. troops are fighting in a country that has long defeated invaders (Vietnam, Afghanistan)

A corrupt regime, (South Vietnam, Karzai's government), is endeavoring to hang onto power while a powerful insurgency is taking over much of the country (Taliban, Viet Cong).

The United States is deeply involved in seeking to bolster up the corrupt government despite the loss of thousands of soldiers lives (Vietnam, Afghanistan)

Ranged against them are the secret armies of other governments, (China,Russian Pakistan), which are all deeply involved in ensuring that the U.S. gets a very bloody nose and is ultimately forced to leave.

The U.S is desperately trying to train up the local soldiers but they are hopelessly corrupt and shoddy (South Vietnam army, Karzai's men)

Meanwhile the debate back home has taken a quick turn for the worst with revelations that the U.S. are disguising civilian casualties and using deception about the war. (Pentagon Papers, Wikileaks)

An embattled Democratic president has a very tough choice to make --escalate or get out. (Lyndon Johnson, Barack Obama)

Here is where the comparison ends. Obama can save countless American soldier's lives and leave soon.

Johnson took the wrong option and it destroyed his presidency and deeply damaged his country.

It was interesting to watch Joe Biden on the 'Today Show' on Thursday defending the policy in Afghanistan.

Biden was the one who argued originally for far fewer troops and keeping the Taliban operations covered by drone attacks and special forces incursions.

He's looking more right than ever now, but is now forced to defend a new policy that looks, alas, far too much like the old policy.

Who would be in Obama's shoes? Gradually the reality will dawn that he has only one option.

Better to take it now than waste any more American lives.