President Obama said yesterday that it is our responsibility, or as he put it our “obligation”, to help the Laotian people to clear tens of thousands of unexploded U.S. bombs dropped on their country by America during the Vietnam War.

The president announced a commitment of $90 million dollars in the effort to clear those unexploded U.S. bombs dropped by the U.S.

He was quoted saying:

Villages and entire valleys were obliterated, Ancient plains were devastated. Countless civilians were killed. That conflict was another reminder whatever the cause, whatever our intentions, war inflicts a terrible toll, especially on innocent men, women and children.  The remnants of war continue to shatter lives here in Laos, many of the bombs dropped never exploded. Over the years thousands of Laotians have been killed or injured, farmers tending fields, children playing. The wounds, a missing leg or arm, last a lifetime. That's why I've dramatically increased or funding to remove these unexploded bombs.

Do you believe it is our responsibility to help pay for finding and destroying these unexploded bombs?

Laos President Bounnhang Vorachit said in return, the Lao government pledged to increase their assistance in locating and returning of Americans missing in war.

If they are going to truly help us bring back our soldiers I believe it is a small price to pay for the return of their remains.  We did drop those bombs, did we not?

According to the US-based non-government organization Legacies of War.  Between 1964 and 1973, US warplanes dropped more than two million tons of bombs on Laotian villages and countryside in our attempt to cut off the Vietnamese army's supply trail.  Legacies of War states that to this day, less than 1% of the bombs have been cleared.

So the question is, is it time we make this humanitarian effort to help the country of Laos?

Let’s talk about this today on The Live with Renk Show which airs Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon. To let me know your thoughts during the show please call (269) 441-9595.

Or please feel free to start a discussion and write your thoughts in the comment section.

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