The old General had a lot of downsides to him. First and foremost was his trust only for those named Vang — with a couple Ly’s thrown in to raise the money.
Destination?
It was a lot of money. Very little of it ever got to the people still fighting in Laos.
Was the General stealing from his people and spending it on himself?
Not really.
But his trusted minions certainly were.
The expenses in Asia ran from local protection, big houses, vehicles and minor wives — but not much hard or soft rice for the troops.
A Family Trait
Many years ago I worked with VP. But the second time his own son stole half of the support for the real fighters and used it to procure a wife at the temple refugee camp, the real guerrilla leaders said “Enough.”
There was also a nagging problem I spoke to time and again — planning and supporting combat operations from U.S. soil.
The answer you always got was “No problem. We have the CIA behind us.”
I knew for a fact this was not true, and I bailed out.
Never Happened
If anyone is claiming VP wrote even one operations plan, call for weapons, troops or money, it is they who are smoking opium and not VP.
The old General’s ability to do anymore than sign his name where indicated by his son or by Col. Ly Ta Pao, his Chief of Staff, is limited at best.
He Cannot Read
Though few know, and a great show was made of VP viewing documents, he was illiterate. Further, they had better have him on tape because a claim he read and signed anything is Worthless.
Others and I tried to talk VP out of taking any action that might be construed as terrorism. The problem was, though he spoke about unity, he had no problem with his boys putting a bomb in a crowded Lao market.
Fleeing a Scene
When the accusations flew, he and his minions backtracked. They denied responsibility.
But when the Hmong stopped such things, all evidence points to the Lao and Vietnamese doing it themselves and then blaming the Hmong.
He dreamed of a separate “Hmong-Land‚” and he would deal with anyone to get it. His boys spent more time in China than in Thailand.
Resisting the Truth
They were betrayed time and again. But they still could not believe they were being had.
Then VP sent his son to Hanoi to cut a separate deal with the Vietnamese, and it was over.
No country is going to help create a Hmong version of Kurdistan in Southeast Asia — and that includes Thailand.
Who Was Seduced?
The Viets and Chinese played VP and his sons like little flutes.
Their good men were murdered left and right. The very idea the communists would help overthrow themselves was bought by not only Vang Pao but overseas Vietnamese and Lao as well.
When a “white bread‚” like myself, told them it was stupid, VP said you had to be Asian to understand.
One suspects the FBI will not understand, either.
Bound to Happen
I drew no glee from writing this. I am deeply saddened by Gen. Vang Pao being arrested. But there was no way it could bhave been avoided.
Maj. Mark A. Smith, U.S. Army (ret.),served in Vietnam and Cambodia. He also was a Prisoner of War.
