I said this last year and it deserves repeating. We didn't fight for your freedom.

[uwep]

87. I agree

I am a Vietnam vet also, and the pain of how we were treated is still with me. At first I was a stanch
supporter of the war. I was told we went to Vietnam because we supported them under the SEATO
treaty (South East Asia Treaty Organization). This was to stop the advancement of Communism. We
had to stand up the the Communist. Later, I found out it was all a lie. I found out that Ho Chi Min
tried to get help from the U.S., but was turned down, so he went to the Chinese. The South Vietnamese
government was corrupt and many Vietnamese disliked us as they did the French. Women would show
up with grenades hidden with their babies. There were atrocities on both sides, but mostly the North
Vietnamese and the Vietcong. I lost all respect for this war and the leaders in this country that lead
us into it with lies. I believe that the military complex including civilian contractors and companies wanted
to try out their new weapon systems at the expense of American and Vietnamese lives. Then the same
thing happened with Iraq, which was even worse. We were the invaders, we went there lying to the
American people so that the rich would get richer and we would be able to control the oil from this
country. Now the whole region has been d-stabilized at the expense of 4000 American lives and 100k
Iraqi lives. The Afghan war started good using the Northern Alliance, but we did not followup and got
into another mess. No one has been held accountable. We punished as many enlisted personnel and
low ranking officers. Iraq and Afghanistan were volunteer and State Military Reserve. This was mostly
poor and minority while Vietnam was conscription, except for many rich and connected. But life is unfair
and I do not mean to disparage veterans from any of these wars because they did their duty as they
saw it. I am just sick of the "thank you for your service".