Vietnam War: What Happened, When, and Why We Still Care

Okay, so what fresh hell is this week bringing us? Vietnam, apparently. Still. Ain't that a kick in the teeth?

Déjà Vu All Over Again

Thirty years since "normalization" with Vietnam, and we're still playing footsie? Hegseth goes over, shakes hands, talks about "deeper cooperation," and... nothing. No big arms deal. Just a lot of hot air and promises. It's like watching reruns of a show you thought got canceled years ago. I’m sorry, but is anyone really surprised?

“Deeper [military] cooperation will benefit both of our countries,” Hegseth says. Oh, really? You don't say. I swear, these guys are masters of saying absolutely nothing with the most amount of words possible. It’s like they’re paid by the syllable.

And the dance continues: Washington wants Hanoi as a "pivotal partner" against China. Of course they do. Everyone wants a pawn in their little geopolitical game. But what does Vietnam want? Besides, y'know, not being anyone's pawn. Are we even considering that? Offcourse not.

War Legacies and Empty Pockets

Okay, fine, Hegseth did bring a box of old war souvenirs – a knife and belt taken from a Vietnamese bunker in '68. Aww, how touching. It's like bringing flowers to a date... 50 years late. And $130 million for Agent Orange cleanup? That's great, I guess. But it feels like throwing a few bucks in the collection plate after robbing the church blind.

But here's the kicker: reports say Hanoi is using profits from a joint oil venture to buy Russian weapons. Russian weapons! The stuff that probably falls apart after a stiff breeze. What the hell? Are we seriously getting played here?

Ray Powell says it's because of "shared history, corruption and cost incentives." Corruption? In international arms deals? shocked face Give me a break. But seriously, why are we even surprised that countries are hedging their bets? We're not exactly radiating stability and trustworthiness these days.

A Mother's Nightmare

And then there's Melissa Tran. A Maryland mother, deported to Vietnam after living in the US for decades. She came here legally as a refugee. Made a mistake as a teenager, paid her dues, checked in with ICE for twenty years, and still gets the boot. Maryland mother deported to Vietnam after being detained and released by ICE

"I know what I did was wrong, and I take responsibility for that," Tran said. "For my kids to have to go through it is horrible for me to comprehend. Why? We always say if you change, you deserve a second chance."

A second chance? Yeah, right. That's only for the connected, the wealthy, the ones who can grease the right palms. For the rest of us, it's one strike and you're out.

She was held, released, then snatched up again and deported. What kind of message does that send? Are we really this heartless? This petty?

So, What's the Point?

The US-Vietnam relationship? Still a mess. War legacies? Still haunting us. Immigration policy? A joke.

Another Day, Another Dumpster Fire