KISSINGER

Re “Kissinger” (Oct. 4):

In connection with his Nobel Peace Prize-winning Vietnam peace negotiations, a highlight of his career, why is it that Kissinger’s biographers seldom, if ever, examine precisely what advantages were gained for his own country, and who benefited most from Kissinger’s years of dealings with the North Vietnamese over ending our war in Vietnam?

Certainly it was not our allies, the South Vietnamese, for they lost everything, and it certainly was not the United States, for during these four years or so of talks thousands of Americans were killed and maimed, and billions of dollars of American capital were expended and wasted for no worthwhile or compelling national security interest or purpose whatever.

Nixon and Kissinger could have ended this hopeless and misrepresented cause and pulled out of Vietnam on their first day in office. By courageously doing so they could have prevented the devastation to our national morality, honor, unity, pride and economy.

In short, who really profited most from the mindless continuation of this senseless tragedy? Even the most rabid Rambo-style jingoist should be able to see that the then Soviet Union and Communist China had the most to gain from the malignant impact that the Kissinger-abetted prolongation of this war had on the American economy, national resolve, and public morale

ROBERT S. COUGHLIN, RANCHO PALOS VERDES