jmg@houxk.UUCP (12/07/83)
I've seen a number of times on this net that when some people wish to make excuses for this or that government's atrocities they always come back with "What about Vietnam?" and that makes everything ok. Any other government can do whatever it pleases as long as they can say the words "What about Vietnam?". Let's hold that thought for a minute. Let's see, the U.S. was in Vietnam from August, 1964 to April, 1973 - lets say 10 years - at the request of the government of South Vietnam. I seem to remember back when the U.S. was up to its armpits in Vietnam and trying to avoid bombing all those British ships anchored in Haiphong harbor, that British government officials were being asked some very embarassing questions about their involvement in Northern Ireland. One of the most embarassing was "Why doesn't England get out of Northern Ireland?". And the oft-repeated response at that time when the government official had his back to the wall and no apparent means of escape from the questions was to say "Well, Britain can't withdraw from Northern Ireland for the same reasons the U.S. can't withdraw from Vietnam. Ireland is England's Vietnam!" and the reporters questions would disappear. But now ten years after the U.S. has left Vietnam, people still say "What about Vietnam?". And England which has had troops in Ireland for EIGHT HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN (813) YEARS and has NEVER RULED IRELAND WITHOUT MARTIAL LAW and has CAUSED THE DEATHS OF MORE PEOPLE IN IRELAND THAN DIED IN THE DEATH CAMPS OF NAZI GERMANY is NO CLOSER TO PEACE THAN THE DAY IT FIRST INVADED IRELAND UNINVITED! They don't tell us anymore that Ireland is England's Vietnam. I wonder why?