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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: cnyndwllr who wrote (145293)	9/10/2004 11:37:47 AM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Can a Vietnamese-American be Heard? ___________________________________________ by Tiana Thi Thanh Nga Published on Thursday, September 9, 2004 by CommonDreams.org Vietnam is a country, not a war. Our people have survived foreign invasions for thousands of years. With all these charges and counter charges on the Swift Boat Race, let’s have some understanding for the Vietnamese who gave so much for their independence and reunification. To lance our wounds, we have to examine and reconcile with the past, so all sides can participate in a healing that has only just BEGUN. John F. Kerry earned my deep gratitude when he demonstrated such compassion for both Vietnamese and Americans in his courageous stand against the injustices of the war 30 years ago. It is a sad reflection on the American political process that he should be torn away from important current issues and forced to defend his record. Why is the media extending full blown coverage to an unprecedented dispute over war medals precipitated by the dirty politics of Karl Rove and company? It is tragic that to this day, most American soldiers did not know why they were sent halfway across the world on missions to kill for 10,000 days. Americans should care how survivors on BOTH sides are still coping with the damage. Like in the media coverage of the war, the voices and experiences of my native Vietnamese continue to be not heard. Kerry's critics are selectively using their Vietnam experiences today as they did then, to justify a brutal war that most Americans turned against and prefer to forget. Their false charges are being widely debunked. But who is remembering the millions of Vietnamese non-combatants who died in that conflict? They have become non-persons once again in this debate. Their families live in Apocalypse Forever, and the reasons why remains in America an argument without end. Viet Nam’s TV war memories are etched in the hearts and minds of millions of Americans. Just go to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington and witness a daily parade of the bereaved. The same is true in Vietnam where I have met and cried with Vietnamese veterans on all sides of the conflict. This includes American vets who returned to Vietnam to help rebuild what their government forced them to destroy. John Kerry was one of these pro-active vets who demonstrated humane concern for my people. I filmed him on three occasions in Viet Nam on trips that brought healing and reunification to both sides. One was on an emotional bicycle ride from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City with disabled Vietnamese and American vets. Senators Kerry, John McCain and Chuck Robb invited me to show my film at a Capitol Hill event they hosted for Vet Congressmen and Senators. What many Americans don't know is that these two Johns (Kerry and McCain) who fought in Viet Nam, turned US-Vietnam relations around for the better. For example, both worked tirelessly to convince President Clinton to lift the trade embargo, thereby preventing future deaths of malnourished Vietnamese babies in need of antibiotics. It took a great deal of personal courage for these two United States Senators to debunk the myths of thousands of POW's and MIA's and take a stand for reconciliation. Well aware that the Vietnamese still have over one hundred thousand MIA’s, they presided over ceremonies bringing American bones back to their loved ones. What has President Bush done? There is so much more yet to be addressed. Agent Orange research, for one, before it is too late. VN is the laboratory since we sprayed the toxic chemicals there. I have filmed Vietnamese postwar survivors living among the rubble in post war Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Laos with serious Agent Orange related illnesses. Innocent children still die every year from landmines – a persistent daily reminder of a war we want to simply forget. Next April 30th marks the 30 year anniversary of the war’s official end. Here we have the opportunity to mark the past in a manner that positively affects future generations. The Swift Boat controversy has brought Viet Nam back to the front pages but for the wrong reasons. Yet, this critical juncture presents the opportunity to reclaim the skeletons so that we may learn from the past and take essential steps to separate reality from myth. Look in the mirror, America, before you rewrite history again: Our ghosts are there alongside yours. We are not extras in “The Deer Hunter,” a Hollywood movie showing us in black PJ’s playing Russian roulette with your innocent young boys. Many of us are Americans now, and along with the 80 million Vietnamese in Viet Nam, we all share a common bond: we want the truth from our leaders. _________________________________________________ Tiana (Thi Thanh Nga Transparent Moon) is filmmaker, actor and performer. She made the critically acclaimed award winning FROM HOLLYWOOD TO HANOI filmed all over Viet Nam (78 mns.) www.indochinafilms.org ### _______________ commondreams.org

To: cnyndwllr who wrote (145293)	9/10/2004 12:59:04 PM
From: one_less	Respond to of 281500

”Jewell, keep on believing “ Golly, thanks…as if. ”I'll keep on looking at what is happening and questioning whether the spin makes any sense. “ That is a condescending and factually inaccurate slur. I have questioned all aspects of these operations. For example, I was the only one on these threads complaining that the sanctions were targeting innocents several years ogo when they were in place. ”In the meantime, maybe you could explain why the "Iraqi people who are so hungry to be free," seem to be supporting the insurgency. Why they have not informed on, or thrown out, the insurgents. Why they dance in the streets when our men are shot down.” I will try but I am pretty sure you are a steel trap on this issue. We’ll see if anything gets through. There are good reasons (from their perspective) and bad reasons. The good reasons are the same as you and I would cheer about if it were us. No body wants the cops occupying your home as they represent an authority that can take you out at any time. The US military is essentially Marshal Law patrolling the streets and lots of events that are not good for anybody occur when they are present. The Wahabi from the North represent themselves as the Army that will bring the world under control of the Caliphate. Their specific objectives target the removal of western style governments and culture. The Shi’ite extremists from the South represent the Al-Mahdi Army that will bring a similar result but under the control of the Shi’ite. To support these ideas is to be true to your tribe, ethnicity, community, and in within obeyance of God. The bad reasons are that if you speak or act against one of these powerful extremist leaders, you will likely see your family suffering for it and would be putting your life at risk. Since there are rival leaders in each region, you have no way to avoid it except by being totally passive in their regard. Even passive support may be viewed as a problem that will be punishable once the most powerful achieve their objectives. Since the leaders have fundamentally corrupted the religion in ways that are self evident to any thinking person, the hearts and minds of the average person are being oppressively compromised in the process. The worst kind of thought control imaginable. Why they dance in the streets when our men are shot down. Why the "soldiers and policemen" we've trained won't fight against the insurgents and simply run away rather than risk their lives and kill for what we offer them as "freedom." They dance for a number of reasons. When the military is gone the threat of awful events, at least for the moment, is lifted. They are once again a homogeneous group. The leaders and their close associates cheer because they have accomplished their goals, no one else would show any other emotion out of fear of what could happen to them. Those who may have supported the idea of a national govt. or who are not part of the homogenous majority are especially at risk, so you might even see them cheering the loudest for obvious reasons. ”Why the "soldiers and policemen" we've trained won't fight against the insurgents and simply run away rather than risk their lives and kill for what we offer them as "freedom." Of course a Sunni would not fight against the Army of the Caliphate that has been manifest to bring God’s will into manifestation; and a Shi’ite would not fight against the Army of Mahdi that has a similar although oppositional directive. Nor would they speak against these entities even though they may see the fundamental corruption in their religion that the leaders have conducted…at least until they feel personally and as a nation at liberty to make such comments. ”As for me, I'd rather be a pragmatist than a dreamer when making decisions that someone else will be paying for with their lives. “ Of course. And, I am pretty sure you represent the majority point of view in the world. We can walk away from the Iraqis and let some one else pay… which they will. Those who have opposed the insurgents by supporting liberty and justice for one and all will see their families punished and suffer before they are personally put to death. The rival leaders will put their insurgent forces against one another until the most powerful rises to their tyrannical post. Then the North and South will engage in a bloody genocidal war. This war will be supported by outlying nations and groups who support one perspective over the other. In addition Western groups will engage because of their interests in the natural resources. And so it goes. ”:…someone else will be paying for with their lives. “ And this is our standard. Some one else, innumerous others actually, made the ultimate sacrifice so that you could live in comfort with personal liberties. Why should you sacrifice for others? That is a personal question and when most people are put to that test they answer in the negative… so you are quite normal. That is why the term “the few and the brave” has such an honest ring to it. “You might like to read…” I am quite aware that corruption exists in all realms where power is placed in the hands of human beings. So, I am a major skeptic. However, that does not mean that every powerful human being is corrupt and I am equally on guard against levying false allegations, which is a corruption of the powerless. Now, being the skeptic that I am, I suspect you are parsing information and framing your position in a way that advances your own petty partisan political agenda, rather than in a way that brings the light of earnest discourse to this topic. I will watch to see …