The more important loss

I watched the Vietnamese waterboard six captured VC on an operation in War Zone D in 1964. I went to my senior advisor, a captain, who told me to go to the regimental advisor, a major, who told me to go to the Vietnamese regimental commander, an ARVN Colonel who had ordered the process – all while this was going on. I talked to the ARVN colonel and told him he couldn't do this that it was against the Geneva Conventions, and he said I was right. He ordered the men released and about 30 seconds later they were machine gunned with their hands still tied behind their backs.

I still think that is why we lost in Vietnam. Either I wasn't strong enough, or we lost the moral high ground in 1964. I would like to think I was on the right side of that incident, but there were others like it that I heard of later – like pushing VC out of helicopters in flight – that I think added to the other side's efforts. No matter their atrocities, we (and the French) acted just like them. And oh by the way, I lost a silver star recommendation by speaking out as well as the contents of my stomach which I promptly emptied into the river that day. My hard boiled sticky rice lunch was by far the more important loss.

So I don't abide by the Administrations' policies with regard to the treatment of prisoners. I think they in fact do more to lose the war than to provide any information of tactical value. We lose our own collective souls.

Και collective και souls;! Προφσνώς ο φίλος δεν είναι ούτε φιλελεύθερος ούτε ορθολογιστής.

Losing the moral high ground, by "Anonymous G" (σύνδεσμοι και έμφαση δικά μου)

Rice Bowl and Bird by Terry Grant