Another former US Commander speaks out.

[Chock]

This just goes to show that there really is nothing new under the sun, Iraq and Afghanistan are (as many feared) turning into Vietnam Mark 2, and it was years after the US pull out from SE Asia that complaints and criticisms surfaced. Very few people spoke out at the time with regard to complaints about poor policies and attrocities, and those that did were pretty much ostricized.

One of my personal heroes, Hugh C Thompson Jnr is a case in point for this kind of thing. He had the balls to stop the My Lai massacre and threatened to attack US troops if they carried on murdering villagers, going so far as to order his helicopter crewmen to open fire on anyone who did so, also ordering his superior officers to cease what they were doing (which, knowing they were doing wrong, was an order they obeyed, despite outranking him).

Of course, this did Thompson's career no favours whatsoever, and he (and his helicopter crew) were only eventually honored for their actions over thirty years after the event. Before that recognition, he was treated like dirt by the US Army, whereas what he actually did should be one of things of which they are most proud.

If more people displayed the kind of bravery and selflessness he did, the world would be a much better place.

You can read about Hugh C Thompson Jnr's actions here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Thompson,_Jr.

Chock