 by Mark Neckameyer November 18, 2004
Some thirty-five plus years ago I was a very young army officer helping to train South Vietnamese forces to resist incursions from North Vietnam. The North Vietnamese were mostly Buddhists with a culture closer to the original Vietnamese culture with more than a little Chinese influence while the South Vietnamese, especially their officer class, had been educated mostly in French schools. You know the story. While there were many brave individuals, my impression that when the NVA, North Vietnamese Army showed up, the South Vietnamese troops tended to run away. Who knows what makes one people brave, willing to fight for their land while people in another culture fold and submit to domination and defeat. We have it while the French definitely do not. I am reminded of that Country music hit of a few years ago by Darryl Worley called "Have you forgotten" where he sings; I say there's some things worth fighting for What about our freedom and this piece of ground We didn't get to keep 'em by backing down Now they say we don't realize the mess we're getting in Before you start your preaching let me ask you this my friend To see your homeland under fire And her people blown away ... Have You forgotten? C 2003 EMI April Music Inc./Pittsburg Landing Songs (ASCAP) I think it is safe to say that
Jacques Chirac has forgotten!
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