Enemies

“Enemies attack at night”,
One of many accusations Lyndon Johnson
Hurled at the Vietcong.
How utterly diabolical!

Fifty year later
I still hear complaints
That we should have leveled this,
Or we should have invaded that.

Fifty years later
Millions of Vietnamese
Have moved here, and may be
Leading lives of quiet desperation.

They have opened small businesses,
Voted in elections
And have birthed two generations of native Americans,
After winning a war with native Americans.

Two million Vietnamese died
In that long-ago war.
Fifty thousand Americans died in that war,
Fought to bring refugees to our shores.

Now we have a black President
Intent on continuing a war,
Given us by a White President,
A war that has lost its geographical bearing.

If we can bring over millions of Afghanis,
Maybe they could work for the Vietnamese,
And send money back to their families
After winning a war with native Americans.