U.S.: International Police Dog?

Bret Stephens' article entitled "From WikiLeaks To The Killing Fields" that appeared in July 27,2010 issue of Wall Street Journal is full of errors. I nearly defecated on my pants upon reading his article.

What he is actually saying is that the American presence in South East Asia during the tumultuous years of the 70s is not only justified but it is warranted. He posited that the Khmer Rouge genocide wouldn't have happened if the Americans did not leave Cambodia.

This for me is an unacceptable rationale.

Let me remind Mr. Stephens that U.S. bombings that killed innocent civilians, the Agent Orange, and supporting a corrupt Lon Nol government actually helped the insurgents by cultivating discontents among ordinary Cambodians who may have stayed neutral if members of their families were not killed because of American aggression.

Moreover, he attributed "the killing of an estimated 165,000 South Vietnamese in so-called re-education camps; the mass exodus of one million boat people, a quarter of whom died at sea; the mass murder, estimated at 100,000, of Laos's Hmong people; and the killing of somewhere between one million and two million Cambodians" to the withdrawal of American troops. (Wall Street Journal, July 27, 2010)

I am wondering if Mr. Stephens is ignorant of the atrocities of the American troops that killed millions of civilians or he is just having a dementia.

Because of this, let me remind Mr. Stephens about the Agent Orange that still is creating havoc to some Cambodians, Laotians, and Vietnamese until now.

Let me remind Mr. Stephens about the American bombings of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam that killed millions of civilians. Let me remind him too that so many of these bombs are still here in Cambodia and are killing innocent civilians up to now. These UXOs (Unexploded Ordnance) did not explode when American warplanes dropped and still poses a threat to unsuspecting victims.

The idea that Americans are needed in Afghanistan and Iraq makes me puke. The United States really has this messianic complex and they think that the world will be chaotic without them.

On the contrary, the world will be a better place without the American troops who are committing atrocious crimes in the Philippines, in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Just two weeks ago I posted a news clip about the American troops who arrogantly disrespected our national anthem and the Philippine flag (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100719-282027/American-soldiers-disrespect-to-RP-flag-in-AFP-camp-probed). And just only a few days ago, American soldiers harassed a Filipina and shouted invectives to a Filipino military officer (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100721-282380/5-US-soldiers-probed-for-rowdy-behavior-in-Zamboanga-concert).

I am wondering what is happening now in Iraq and Afghanistan were American troops are present. I am also wondering if Mr. Stephens is turning a blind eye on these.

Yes, the Khmer Rouge did an abominable act. But there is nothing that can justify the presence of American troops in sovereign and independent states.

I can only hope that the United States will back off from being a self-imposed international police dog.

Labada

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