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Agent Orange Campaign--Into High Gear

By Paul Cox

Most of us have already heard that the US Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal to reinstate the three class-action lawsuits by the Vietnamese Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA) and two US-veteran groups against the US chemical companies for poisoning Vietnam with dioxin during the war. The attorneys for VAVA are filing for a rehearing by the Supreme Court in the hope that the new atmosphere around the new Administration may inspire them to reconsider.

If the Supreme Court fails to accept the new appeal, the court route to justice for the Vietnamese and US veterans is dead, deader than dead, never to be reanimated. Then it will be on to political efforts that will require not just the efforts of attorneys and a core of supporters, but focused actions across the country. Those of us who remember the original suit against the chemical companies in the early 80s recall that the court battle paved the way for Congress to provide compensation for US veterans exposed to AO. We are in an analogous situation now. We can now push both at the chemical companies to step up to their responsibilities and at Congress to take action.

First we must arouse public condemnation of the chemical companies in the form of a Corporate Campaign against Dow and Monsanto, the two largest of the chemical criminals who made AO and the other herbicides. Second, Vietnamese Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign (VAORRC) has started a legislative campaign to get Congress to provide funding and programs for the Vietnamese, US vets and Vietnamese Americans. While the main elements of the legislation will be to provide care, compensation and environmental clean-up to the Vietnamese; US veteran and Vietnamese-American care and compensation are also important.

The timing for the legislative campaign is good. The US geo-political imperative dictates that the US needs Vietnam to counteract the growing SE Asian influence of China. AO poisoning is a big issue for the Vietnamese. The Bushites recognized this issue was important, but did very little about it. The current Administration and Democratic Party-dominated Congress also recognize the importance of resolving the AO issue, and IF they receive enough domestic pressure, will actually move on it.

VAORRC has several VVAW members on its board and is working with various Congress members and Senators to draft this legislation. While the Vietnamese have been clear about the programs and aid they need to permanently improve and mitigate the dioxin problems in Vietnam, we do not yet have clarity on the additional aid US veterans need. We are also reaching out to Vietnamese-American communities to determine the effect dioxin has had on them and how best to address their needs.

We have questions for Vietnam War veterans: What changes or additions are needed to the current programs of care and compensation provided by the VA to Vietnam veterans affected by AO/dioxin poisoning? What additional research or other programs are needed for Vietnam veterans? Some veterans' groups want additional research and compensation for ill and disabled children and grandchildren of veterans who were exposed to AO. We need your feedback as soon as possible. caulpox@gmail.com.

Time to shift into high gear.

Paul Cox served as a Marine in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 and is a member of VVAW. He is on the national board of the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign.