Dear O Sung Wu,

Yes, the United States stumbled into an obscure
but vicious conflict in Vietnam on behalf
of peasants who seemed largely indifferent to
the ourcome of the fighting and to America's
ideology. Ar first, American public opinion
gave patriotic support of the war. But as the
nation became more deeply involved, the Vietnam
war became a quagmire that drained its energy,
strength, credibility, treasure, and blood.

As casualties mounted and troops became more
demoralised, the war began to tear American
society apart, dividing neighbour from neighbour,
friend from friend, family members from one another.
Some sons volunteered for war, some were drafted,
some became conscientious objectors, some evaded
the draft by going into hiding or fleeing their
country.

Those who fought and those who refused to fight
branded each other with such names as traitor, and
coward. Altogether, more than 2 million young
Americans went to this unfamiliar place to fight
an unwanted war for uncertain ends. Some 57,000
of them were killed, and about 300,000 wounded.

Today there is now a general consensus that, somehow,
a terrible mistake was made. The memory of that mistake
we can only hope will place
informal social restraints on American leaders.
And that in the future there will be intense public
resistance to any prospect of "another Vietnam."

I guess we shall have to wait and see.

Andrew Wilkie the independent member for Denison claims John Howard should be grateful he hasn't been charged with conspiracy to commit mass murder. From Andrew Wilkie's official web site.
`Former Prime Minister John Howard says he is embarrassed that no WMD was found in Iraq,’’ Mr Wilkie said. "He should instead feel deeply ashamed but grateful that he hasn’t been charged with conspiracy to commit mass murder."

Over one million Iraqis have met violent deaths as a result of the 2003 invasion, according to a study conducted by the prestigious British polling group, Opinion Research Business (ORB). These numbers suggest that the invasion and occupation of Iraq rivals the mass killings of the last century in Rwanda and Cambodia.

I would like to know how Howard feels now in light of the numbers of innocents killed on the bases of a couple of huge US lies. Who will ever forget Colin Powell at the UN in 2003. Shortly after Powell made a quick exit stage right, from the Bush Administration and I wounder why?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-schwarz/colin-powell-wmd-iraq-war_b_2624620.html

Mr Wilkie is proving to be an excellent member, and a great judge of character. John Howard's character that is.

John Winston Howard will always be remembered as the Father of the Australian Gun Lobby, without his inspiration shooters would have been lost.
The .38 JWH pistol round was named in his honour.

Hello again FOXY...

That certainly seem to be the consensus, it was all a terrible mistake ? A mistake that cost many military lives, and countless civilian casualties as well. I just hope we don't go hurtling headlong into another protracted war with Iraq now ? So easy for politicians to thump their collective chests, as long as they themselves don't have to go there.

If you were to ask any Vet the way to eliminate ISIL once and for all, it would be, as is the popular expression now - 'boots on the ground'. You got to take the fight to them, not as they seem to be doing now ? Anyway, what would I know FOXY, I'm an old man now. Vietnam for me was 46 years ago, weapons, strategies and tactics vary considerably since those days, so I should consign myself and my opinions to a comfortable armchair and snore the remaining balance of my life away, in a pleasant reverie ?

Bush, Blair and Howard should be indicted for war crimes over Iraq. Then they would plead insanity and get off.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/25/could-john-howard-be-citizen-arrested-for-his-role-in-the-iraq-war

Foxy, all wars are unjust but The Vietnam War was a particularly nasty war. Again, a war justified by lies and more lies.

Dear O Sung Wu,

Everything is relative, everything has its
story and we all have our own life experiences
to go on. But that's what is so great about
this forum. We get to share our experiences
and in doing that we are able to reach an
even greater understanding of issues that we
may not have otherwise even thought about.
Keep up the good work - in sharing your views
with us.

Dear Paul,

Yes, the Vietnam war was dreadful.

We can only hope and trust that our choice in the
future will be to enhance the life
on the bright and lovely planet on which
billions of us share our adventure.