cigarsmokin: the way i see it, there's one side's opinions, the other side's opinions, and somewhere in the middle is the rock solid truth.
for that matter, two people can see the same thing happen and have totally different descriptions about it based on their vantage point, their personal views, and so forth.
my brothers served in vietnam -- both as grunts. i've seen the photos they took there, listened to their version of it (which has changed over the years, actually).
i've listened to them talk about the fear they had -- not only of the enemy but of their comrades in arms -- when out on patrol "anything could happen, from the VC or from your own guys."
me? i wasn't there. i was only five when my brothers were over there. so i'm not for a minute going to pretend that i knew what did and did not go down, and i'm not going to second guess those who WERE there -- especially those who have records to actually prove it (there are, sadly, a lot of "fake" 'nam vets who have destroyed the image of the vietnam veteran in this country).
i've heard from enough of my brother's friends one on one to believe that one could decry a comrade's actions and not risk being KIA the next patrol out.
now i'll listen to what both "sides" of this have to say, and i'll do so with an open mind. but i'm not about to say "he should have..." about *anyone* who served over there.