By Staff
Our View
Over 100 more Alabama troops are being sent to Iraq. The war has taken much longer than originally predicted. Casualties are much higher than predicted. Throughout the last election we heard "wrong war, wrong time." Maybe so but that doesn't excuse the people touting this as a second Vietnam.
American involvement in the Vietnam War began with a plea from help from France. Though American scholars tend to disagree about how that war began European texts agree on a basic story.
During World War II expansionist countries such as England, France and Germany were having trouble defending the territories they won less than 60 years before during the so-called "Opium Wars." Vietnam was part of French Indochina until Japan expelled the French in World War II. After the war France tried to regain control of southeastern Indochina but Vietnamese nationalists were able to get there first. Early on the French Foreign legion made up largely of former escaped Nazi stormtroopers were able to push back the nationalists but when word spread in France that the war was being won by war criminals they withdrew the legion and sent in the still-weak French Army. As the French lost battle after battle they began seeking help from their old war allies.
We entered the Vietnam Conflict to help our friends and allies. We were ridiculed by protestors at home and abroad as we fought for the freedom of a people who knew nothing but war and fought for an ally who would never come to our aid.
One of the greatest tragedies of the Vietnam War was the way our troops were treated upon return. They were spat on for doing their jobs. They were denied employment opportunities when they needed work. They endured names like 'baby killer' when they should have been treated with the same respect their fathers had come home to after World War II.
No this war is only remotely similar to Vietnam. We were openly attacked by terrorist forces.We are not defending an ally but defending ourselves. .
We do not have to disrespect our soldiers. Even if you do not agree with this war and do not agree with why soldiers are in the middle east you should at least agree to support the fighting men and women who are overseas.
Every life is important. No one deserves to be ridiculed for doing their duty to their god or country.
Every life is important and every insult devalues a life. We never know when someone important to us may leave us or pass away. We never know what words we say to someone will be the last.
We never know the impact our words have to people we will never know.
Be good to each other. If there is to be a fight or war defend yourself but do it with honor and if you witness a fight you don't agree with remember those people are human too and deserve your respect. atistics."