Friday, July 23, 2010

Clinton vows to increase cooperation on Agent Orange

(AFP) – 1 day ago

HANOI — United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on a visit to Vietnam Thursday, vowed to increase cooperation in dealing with the legacy of the wartime herbicide Agent Orange.

US aircraft sprayed the chemicals during the Vietnam War to strip trees of foliage in order to deprive communist Viet Cong forces of cover and food.

"We've been working with Vietnam for about nine years to try to remedy the effects of Agent Orange. I will work to increase our cooperation and make even greater progress together," Clinton said at a press conference on the sidelines of a regional security meeting.

Potentially cancer-causing dioxin was a component of Agent Orange and other herbicides sprayed by American forces.

Since 2007, the US Congress has appropriated nine million dollars to help Vietnam clean up the contamination, and for related health activities.

Experts have identified three former US air bases as "hot spots" of dioxin contamination, but decontaminating all three of them would cost an estimated 59 million dollars, most of which still needs to be committed, a United Nations adviser in Hanoi said last month.

A Vietnamese doctor testified before the US Congress last week that more than three million Vietnamese have suffered the effects of the herbicide.

Vietnam and the US normalised relations 15 years ago.

8 comments:

  1. screw Vietnam. Give our Vietnam vets suffering from the effects of agent orange the money. Are you waiting for us all to die so you can save the money?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with WALT what they got they deserved.
    Help our VETERANS first,because we give to much
    to other counties and not our own.

    GARY GROVE

    ReplyDelete
  3. We should not do a da_n thing for anything in Vietnam, until there's a full accounting of our comrades that are MIA. It's a slap in the face to all Vietnam Vets for our country to do business with these thugs while there remains so much question about our comrades, How many of our guys did they trade to the USSR and China?? So long as even one (1) could still be alive, so long as they continue to lie/refuse to account for our MIA...I for one say - To Hell with Vietnam, let them heal themselves.
    Steven D., Queens, NY

    ReplyDelete
  4. Here's a thought, how about we fire all the "Czars" from OB's cabinet and use their salaries to help the Vietnam Vets with their ailments from this crap?

    ReplyDelete
  5. David A. Thompson, Maj USA RetAugust 21, 2010 at 11:28 AM

    I am retired from the US Army. I spent two tours in Vietnam, 1968 and 1971-1972. I now have several illness caused by agent orange. I have had several from the units I served with die from the affects of agent orange. I agree with the writers from above. Treat our Viet Nam Vets and pay them the compensation they need to live on. Get the homeless vets off the streets and help them mainstream back into American life. Thank you,
    David A. Thompson USA Ret

    ReplyDelete
  6. So this stupid 'assistant 'president will not help our vets but will help our enemies ! I am so proud of this admin..apologizes for being American, fails to respect our flag, denies christian roots, insults our law enforcement personnel;, takes benefits away from those who have worked their lives to support this country only to give them to those who have never supported our country.....i give up, it makes me physically sick...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hiliary looks normal under the commie flag.vietnam Vets have,do and will die from the effects on them and who knows what to their children and grandchildren.Still we cannot get a full declaration of all the dieses we have and will suffer.The Vietnamese deserve what they got and nothing else.Give back all our POW's or account for them.take care of the Vets before they all are dead,then we'll talk.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Steven D Goldstein 69-70August 25, 2010 at 5:57 AM

    I have been fighting the VA for years for compensation for Agent Orange. They tell me "I have it", but what I have is not on the list. Take that money and help all Viet Nam Vets, with Agent Orange, PTSD, etc. The hell with RVN. Our Vets come FIRST, NOT our enemy. Full accounting for all our brothers. When we get taken care of,then use all that money for other problems we have in the US. This is not charity, WE are OWED this money.

    ReplyDelete