Actually, yes, especially after the Fall of Saigon, the re- education camps, the boat people setting out for Hong Kong in the hopes of escape, I imagine a lot of southerners were saying "Oh those Americans, I wish they had not left, but had seen the thing through." But it is wholly speculative. When we were there, it was impossible to ascertain Vietnamese opinion when the countryside was controlled by the Viet Cong, and collaboration with the Americans could bring reprisals, and when the Communists were thorough demagogues, promising the peasants the moon, if they would only get rid of the foreigner.
We do not kill merely in self- defense. We will also kill those who oppress us, for example. In law enforcement, we will allow hostages to be killed rather than give into demands, because we cannot live in a society where hostage taking gives one blank check to commit crime. We accept "self- defense" as a justification for homicide committed to prevent a rape. We accept not only killing those who seek to harm us in a war, but the fact that one cannot avoid all collateral damage. In numerous instances, we decide that there are worse things than death.
We have little use for old people or the handicapped if we are going to build empires, and yet a lot of programs are geared to help those who are elderly or have special needs. I think you are just plain wrong to characterize things with such cynicism.
I cannot imaging anyone uttering such things paying much of a price, if any. Instead, they will probably get the Palme d'Or, a deal with Miramax, and do all the talk shows........ |
