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f. "Suppressio Veri, Suggestio Falsi". Many of the puppet masters play a confusing,
murky role. For instance, the Director of the National League of
Families occupies an interesting and questionable position in the whole process.
Although assiduously "churning" the account to give a tawdry illusion of progress, she is
adamantly opposed to any initiative to actually get to the heart of the problem, and, more
importantly, interferes in or actively sabotages POW-MIA analyses or investigations. She
insists on rewriting or editing all significant documents produced by the Office, then
touted as the DIA position. She apparently has access to top secret, codeword message
traffic, for which she is supposedly not cleared, and she receives it well ahead of the DIA
intelligence analysts. Her influence in "jerking around" everyone and everything involved
in the issue goes far beyond the "war and MIA protestor gone straight" scenario. She was
brought from the "outside", into the center of the imbroglio, and then, cloaked in a
mantle of sanctimony, routinely impedes real progress and insiduously "muddles up" the
issue. One wonders who she really is and where she came from.
4. CONCLUSIONS:
a. The Stalled Crusade. Unfortunately, what began on such a high note never succeeded in embarking. In some respects, however, I have managed to satisfy some of my curiosity.
b.Everyone is Expendable. I have seen firsthand how ready and willing the policy people are to sacrifice or "abandon" anyone who might be perceived as a political liability. It is quick and facile, and can be easily covered.
c. High-Level Knavery. I feel strongly that this issue is being manipulated and controlled a a higher level, not with the goal of resolving it, but more to obfuscate the question of live prisoners, and give the illusion of progress through hyperactivity.
d. "Smoke and Mirrors". From what I have witnessed, it appears that any soldier left in Vietnam, even inadvertently was, in fact, abandoned years ago, and that the farce that is being played is no more than political legerdemain done with "smoke and mirrors", to stall the issue until it dies a natural death.
e. National League of Families. I am convinced that the Director of this organization is much more than meets the eye. As the principal actor in the grand show, she is in the perfect position to clamor for "progress", while really intentionally impeding the effort. And there are numerous examples of this. Otherwise it is inconceivable that so many bureaucrats in the "system" would instantaneously do her bidding and humor her every whim.
f. DIA's Dilemma. Although greatly saddened by the role ascribed to the Defense Intelligence Agency, I feel, at least, that I am dealing with honest men and women who are generally powerless to make the system work. My appeal and attempt to amend this role perhaps never had a chance. We all were subject to control. I particularly salute the personnel in the POW-MIA Office for their long suffering, whigh I regrettably was unable to change. I feel that the Agency and the Office are being used as the "fall guys" or "patsies" to cover the tracks of others.
5. RECOMMENDATIONS:
a. One Final Vietnam Casualty. So ends the war and my last grand crusade, like it actually did end, I guess. However, as they say in the Legion, "je ne regrette rien..." For all of the above, I respectfully request to be relieved of my duties as Chief of the Special Office for Prisoners of War and Missing in Action.
b. A Farewell to Arms. So as to avoid the annoyance of being shipped off to some remote corner, out of sight and out of the way, in my own "bamboo cage" of silence somewhere, I further request that the Defense Intelligence Agency, which I have attempted to serve loyally and with honor, assist me in being retired immediately from active military duty.
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