Vietnam and MIA Question

In response to “Clinton Envoy Cites Doubts on POW Report,” April 20:

As expected, retired Gen. John Vessey again walked into the “Looking Glass,” Wonderland of course being Vietnam, and emerged with the startling revelation that the Vietnamese, specifically Gen. Tran Van Quang, denied authoring the “smoking gun” memo. I’m surprised he even admitted being in the People’s Liberation Army.

What is even more startling is that it took Vessey longer to fly to Vietnam than it did for him to determine that the Russian memo was a fabrication.

For those knowledgeable in the POW-MIA scandal, it was a foregone conclusion that he would discredit this document. This, of course, is the standard pattern followed by our government whenever credible evidence is presented showing the probability of abandoned and living American servicemen in Southeast Asia. More time is spent trying to disprove evidence than validating it.

RICHARD SMITH

Woodland Hills