And why have none of the cheerleaders, liars and war criminals of the Vietnam illegal war ever been tried for treason or held accountable! And some like Henry Kissinger are still alive and free.
What is needed is a second war criminal, Vietnam Wall next to the dead soldiers Vietnam Wall with this inscription: **** " THESE ARE THE WAR CRIMINALS AND COWARDS THAT CONDONED THE DEATHS OF THE BRAVE SOLDIERS ON THE OTHER VIETNAM WALL".
Yes, from my perspective, ever since that congressional, betrayal,. America changed from a constitutional, Democracy and metamorphosises into a military dictatorship with illegal wars after illegal undeclared wars ad nauseum and like in Afghanistan, trillions of $$$$$$$$$$ being made by the canard and euphemism of what is called " DEFENSE CONTRACTORS".
I expect the majority of the United States of America to go into mental turtle mode for about five years. That’s how long we spent between the collapse of Saigon and the election of Ronald Reagan.
So, Afghanistan never happened! See, Washington still has all the money that it wants. If all those vets are still alive but have traumatic brain injuries, well it’s their own problem that they’re living on the street. They should have gotten an honorable discharge instead of freaking out from the war.
The world sees us in possession of power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight and that has to change.
I can appreciate the sentiment.
Once you get past a certain pay grade there is NO accountability.
One of the Iraq war lies by Cheney: It will only cost about 40 billion to wage war on Iraq. I wouldn’t be surprised if that much disappeared with the “pallets of cash” debacle.
There should not have been a military war in Afghanistan at all. This should have been a police action. Round up the bad guys and lock them away.
Very true! After paying the war profiteers 300,000,000.00 dollars a day, for the last 20 years in Afghanistan, there will still never be any accountability even though we were lied to about getting Osama.
Of course, if we are honest about it, the public greatly ignoring the war and listening to the war hawks lie, is in large part why we stayed so long. War weary all during the twenty years.
but they killed public enemy #1 before we could hear from him???
these people are still jonesing ----fox is hilarious–the left behind???
reporting from afghanistan-----check points are vanishing—kids can play soccer --again----shops can stay open all night—check out DN—and al jazeer
and yes they have said only top people can be men-----at least they are honest!
They kept to their word that they would not kill any American for two years—
My thanks to this author for a forthright narrative and a very responsible list of things that should ensue. Like others, I have little sympathy for those who join this mercenary American force, but honestly, most people just cannot evade the endless mainstream media send-ups of the merits of the American cause. I point no finger at you, because in truth the finger points at all of us.
I heard more than I ever wanted to hear from #1.
I just wonder if the Taliban government is gonna go around shooting off AK’s day and night even though the evil Americans have left.
It’s a good question. I am reminded of an answer from Ezra Pound, of all people. This is from “Hugh Selwyn Mauberly,” written around WWI.
IV
These fought, in any case,
and some believing, pro domo, in any case …
Some quick to arm,
some for adventure,
some from fear of weakness,
some from fear of censure,
some for love of slaughter, in imagination,
learning later …
some in fear, learning love of slaughter;
Died some pro patria, non dulce non et decor” …
walked eye-deep in hell
believing in old men’s lies, then unbelieving
came home, home to a lie,
home to many deceits,
home to old lies and new infamy;
usury age-old and age-thick
and liars in public places.
Daring as never before, wastage as never before.
Young blood and high blood,
Fair cheeks, and fine bodies;
fortitude as never before
frankness as never before,
disillusions as never told in the old days,
hysterias, trench confessions,
laughter out of dead bellies.
V
There died a myriad,
And of the best, among them,
For an old bitch gone in the teeth,
For a botched civilization.
Charm, smiling at the good mouth,
Quick eyes gone under earth’s lid,
For two gross of broken statues,
For a few thousand battered books.
Facing the truth before might help.
So, for instance, where are the soldiers headed next? Who will the US kill and torture and rob next? What can be done about it now?
Oh I will donate to that! And not just their names but faces too.
Hey, aren’t the losers of a war often asked to pay reparations? The stock market is at record highs, surely the Exceptional Nation would want to make good its mistake with another Trillion or so? THAT would have the warmongers thinking twice!
What one will never see is a Vietnam Wall which lists all the victims of American aggression during that idiotic war and which would also include those people who were unjustifiably killed in Laos and Cambodia. It seems that those people who had been killed by U.S. planes in Laos and Cambodia are usually not mentioned when the American War on Vietnam is discussed. But they would probably run out of material for that wall since it would extend from the U.S. to China. And while the author’s article was well written she is definitely wrong to claim that the war in Afghanistan is over. That claim cannot be correct when the United States is still dropping 500 lb. bombs and drone missiles upon those unfortunate people while Special Forces and mercenaries are free to roam that country where they will wreak more havoc and misery upon the Afghan people.
I agree the war is over in name only. It will now go underground with drone strikes, special op raids, etc. Only so much you can cover in one short article - trying to bring awareness to the inhumanity of war.
Thanks for reading, appreciate your taking the time to post.
Mary
Mary
Your statement that you are attempting “to bring awareness to the inhumanity of war” is reminiscent of what the American artist and activist Lorraine Schneider said during the American War on Vietnam when she famously noted that:
“War is not healthy for children and other living things.”
100% agree! Nice reply…thanks.
Thanks, but we know that even if someone donated millions of $$$$ for a Vietnam war criminal wall it would never be built!
A question rarely asked, but never answered: what responsibility does the US soldier share in the prosecution of an illegal war? There are international laws, such as the UN Charter and the Nuremberg Principles that provide the answers, but it seems that they don’t apply to the US and its military! Remember that at the end of WWII we executed Japanese soldiers for the crime of waterboarding US P.O.W.s, but give honor to those in our military who waterboard prisoners at Quantanamo Bay!
