During my first years as a young CIA officer in Vietnam from 1965-67, I went to school (so to speak) and received the real education of my life. I learned about my government, its politicians, and military leaders.
I
learned about the lies, the high explosive and chemical bombings, our superior
fire power, villages bombed and burned, the payoffs we made to our ranking
Vietnamese allies and the reasons for our losing the war. The enemy fought to
unite their country and expel foreign domination. The U.S. fought because of
corrupt leadership and our losses were a mere fraction being fought on the
enemy’s turf with our superior fire power, money and material support. They
fought for a cause. We fought for no justifiable reason. They won. We did not.
Remember
the body bags displayed on the tarmacs of our returning dead from Vietnam? Not
like the lack of media coverage today given the damage we inflict. Remember the
disapproving reception of our returning soldiers? Now we celebrate them as
heroes and wounded patriots.
Here, at
home, we have not experienced wars employing mass-destruction weapons. Maybe
one day will we receive an education about the consequences of wars as a
nation. Surely, we learned nothing from Vietnam as it never happened here.
Our commitment
to the two-decade, multi-country invasions in the Middle East have shown our
cowardliness to the world if not to ourselves. Our hypocrisy is stunning. No
draft, no engagement (almost no KIA’s each year). Far more troop suicides than
battle deaths while displacing, killing and maiming thousands of innocent
civilian lives year after year. For whom and what? And, yes, a media in full
march step with these disgraceful invasions and occupations.
Remember
the uproar about Vietnam? Burned draft cards, asylum in Canada, draft dodgers,
street demonstrations and sit-ins galore. And why not these now? The unending,
shameful action by our government is making sure the public is not paying a
price in people. No draft, very limited engagement with the enemy and an
approving media. What more can our government and Pentagon ask for? We will
keep dropping bombs and feeding others money and weapons to assist with the
killing and displacing of innocent populations for us.
But are
these wars really for us? Certainly not.
Remember George W. Bush, and his failing presidency, who was made a hero
the morning after 9/11 with his WMD declaration that fooled no one but
Americans? Not a sound from the citizenry. Would we try the pitiful WMD routine
on China or Russia? They have the ability to hit back.
The
national celebration that greeted George H.W. Bush in death is a far cry from
his presidency. It was not until after 9/11 that George W. Bush obeyed the
lobbies’ demands to destroy Iraq that his father was resurrected and the son
was hailed as our glorious leader. Remember his welcoming carrier landing which
turned out to be a dud?
These
wars that we persist with are not only cowardly, they demonstrate our lack of
respect for other nations, their people and our national conscience. Notably,
they demonstrate our being a failed nation not capable of controlling or
directing its own interests. We will go down in history as that most powerful,
but most surrogate nation ever. Stunningly shameful with the blood of others
staining our once proud national emblem.
While we
busy ourselves with “enemies” that we and “friendly” others have invented, we
have become oblivious to the enemy within. The one taking us down.