U.S. Recognition of Vietnam

* I experienced both a sense of relief and joy as President Clinton normalized relations with Vietnam (July 12). I opposed our involvement in that long, costly and ultimately senseless war. Consequently, Clinton’s courageous, and in my view, correct action will allow both the United States and Vietnam to finally heal the wounds, and permit our two nations to deal with one another with a renewed spirit of cooperation and understanding.

There will be some who view the President’s action as wrong; others may say that his behavior is immoral. To all who oppose his decision, I simply ask that we draw upon the teachings of all the world’s religions which direct us to practice forgiveness and to have love as the basis for our behavior. In the Old Testament, Solomon, when asked by God what his one wish would be, replied “to have an understanding heart.” God, so taken by Solomon’s simple but profound request, responded by giving Solomon both an understanding heart and untold wealth.

The lesson here is simple: Life can only truly be lived when love and compassion guide our actions and behavior. President Clinton’s decision deserves our commendation and support.

NICHOLAS R. RAY

Encino

* No one cannot sympathize with those who lost relatives or friends in Vietnam. But our MIA total, of less than 2,000, is dwarfed by the Vietnamese MIA losses. If an exact accounting is appropriate for us, why not for them?

We began that war as well as lost it, which hardly suggests we are the aggrieved and owed such an accounting.

The Germans and Japanese started and lost World War II. We asked no such accounting from them, nor made accounting any kind of a condition for diplomatic recognition.

I’m a World War II vet.

JAMES L. HANYEN

Coronado

* Perhaps the angry politicians like Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) who oppose normalizing relations with Vietnam need to read their history books. They will find that sentiment toward even our Southern neighbors for years after the Civil War was not much different than how many feel today about Vietnam.

I suspect if Dornan and his comrades had their way they would move to end any relations with our Southern neighbors, too. That way they wouldn’t have to deal with anybody from Arkansas.

BARRY P. RESNICK

Orange

* Thirty years ago, it was the ignorance and the arrogance of the U.S. government, buoyed by its paranoid McCarthyism, that plunged the nation into the Vietnam debacle and thereby robbed many of its citizens’ lives and innocence.

More than 30 years ago, it was the ignorance and arrogance of the North Vietnamese leaders, supported by a blind conviction to a foreign, despotic and now-proven futile doctrine known as socialism, that thrust their nation into the deadly conflict against their southern compatriots.

Twenty years later the war has ended in the battlefield, but still lingers in our soul. The human drama still goes on after millions of lives have been lost and twisted by this ramification of arrogance and ignorance. So now with the normalization between old foes, is it indeed a redemption for past demeanor, another form of mea culpa for bad deeds or simply just another kind of ignorance and arrogance?

For whatever it is, I just wanted a little bit of sensitivity to those who have suffered so much in this human tragedy, just a little gallantry in your stance, Mr. President, in this imminent event.

KORY NGO

Orange

* We should recognize Vietnam only when the Vietnamese government renames Hanoi “LBJ City.”

RICHARD SYBERT

Calabasas

* Now that relations have been normalized between the United States and Vietnam, primarily to benefit corporate America, it is time to normalize relations with Vietnam veterans and the families of POW/MIAs.

The fact that we feel betrayed is more than obvious. It is shown all over the news. Many of us feel that Vietnam will not go any further to return our men and women. Why should they? Who can honestly believe that America will stop trading with them if they do little or nothing to resolve the POW/MIA issue? I cannot!

Relations can be normalized with Vietnam veterans by distributing some of the profits gained by America’s businesses. Some suggestions are:

1) Provide training to re-employ Vietnam veterans.

2) Allocate grants for Vietnam veterans organizations.

I ask again, and will continue to ask, do not forget us. Do not forget that we put our lives on the line for the United States.

JIM McHARG, President

Los Angeles Vietnam Veterans Alliance