Iraq is a Rerun of Vietnam

I certainly agree with Tien Do Manh (Letters, May 31) that the Vietnamese have suffered enough. They have suffered under the French, the Chinese, and the Japanese.

But it was the United States that eclipsed them all when it comes to suffering. To bring “democracy” to Vietnam, the US, from 1961- 75, was responsible for the deaths of three million Vietnamese.

In the bombing of Cambodia from 1969-73, the US dumped the equivalent of three times the bomb tonnage used against Japan in Word War II, killing hundreds of thousands. And, of course, there was Laos.

Vietnamese still die because of the millions of litres of the herbicide Agent Orange dropped on them. I’m sure Tien Do Manh knows this.

The war in Iraq is a rerun of the Vietnam War — both were based on lies and deceit. To my shame, my country took part in the war in Vietnam. We must not let this happen again, because tomorrow our young may be asked to die for America in North Korea, a week later in Iran, a year later in China. Have we learned?

BARNEY RICHARDS

Peace Council Aotearoa NZ

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