Socialist Republic of Vietnam

STATEMENT OF JAMES L. RHODES
Box 488 Camp Hill, Alabama 36850-0488
Life Member: Veterans of Foreign Wars; American Legion; Disabled American Veterans. National Chairman: Vietnam Combat Veterans, Ltd.
2002 National Point of Light award winner due to volunteer services to American veterans and organizations in Vietnam. 2002 WASHINGTON TIMES FOUNDATION honoree for editorials written regarding American & Vietnamese veterans issues.

Since returning for my tour of combat in Vietnam, I developed a deep aversion for hypocrites and politicians who attempt to rewrite history by utilization of mis/disinformation.

Have we collectively forgotten that it was U.S. foreign policy that created the chain of events that allowed the Khmer Rouge to take over a peace loving government in Cambodia? Once this process began, American troops were ordered to withdraw. The Khmer Rouge was responsible for MILLIONS of murders and executions. Where was our human rights policy while this was happening? When the Vietnamese attempted to stabalize that (THEIR) region, amazingly, and quite horribly, U.S. foreign policy backed elements of the Khmer regime in opposition to the Vietnamese who were in the process of instituting stability to the area!

I could continue with dozens of more examples, but will not. The point is that actions speak louder than words or rhetoric. When these horrible human rights situations developed, the U.S. policy was one of a "deaf" ear and "blind" eye.

The logical question becomes WHY, in view of these past situations, is the U.S. government portraying the Vietnamese as "bad" people?

In my opinion, the answer is simple. This is yet another diversion to avoid dealing with REAL issues of the conflict we prolonged in SE Asia.

As an example, due to my involvement in Vietnam, and exposures to herbicidal poisons, I became very ill. Not once has any agency of the U.S. government treated me or attempted to assist me with this particular problem. Federal doctors officially 'disabled' me and at one point I prepared myself for death.

In violation of U.S. law we traveled to HCM where I was treated by doctors and other healers. I have since been back for follow-up treatments. I believe these trips assisted in saving my life.

While in Vietnam, I was treated with the utmost kindness, compassion, and respect. I saw the suffering of countless others. We pride ourselves in being a "Christian" nation, yet we do not hear the cries of those we afflicted. Our politicans shame the Name of JESUS! We stand behind legalities and abandon what is moral, yet we dare attempt to cast judgement on others?

Other issues our politicians dare not discuss: Amerasians; soldiers who fought with U.S. military units and then were discarded and abandoned; Vietnamese civilians who served with U.S. government agencies; the virtual poisoning of an entire nation. Our government also has an in place of policy regarding POW-MIA that spreads misinformation in the West and attempts to discredit the Vietnamese. The in-place policies are adversarial; and, at the same time attempts to display Washington politicans as innocent victims as opposed to what they really are.

During our trips into Vietnam, we never saw the need to lock a door. The Vietnamese are a youthful nation that values education. Perhaps this is a threat?

Politicans keep talking about the "Communist" to maintain this Cold War attitude with our Asian friends. There is more free market capitalism in Vietnam than our politicians want to admit.

During the embargo years, we saw the free flow of American alcohol and tobacco products into Vietnam. I can only assume these oversights were made to injure the overall health of the Vietnamese.

The Vietnamese are loving and forgiving people. In the Name of the GOD we claim to trust, I can only hope that we will work with them to resolve all our issues.

If we did this in the context of what is moral, many in Washington would be embarrassed, and this is what I fear-the good of the many will be sacrificed for the good of the few. Let him with eyes see.

James Rhodes