LETTERS TO THE EDITOR : Respite for Southeast Asia 
International Herald Tribune
May 6, 1994

Regarding "For Southeast Asia,a Crucial Respite" (Opinion, April 29) by Marvin Ott: Mr. Ott suggests that "many Southeast Asians will volunteer a judgment that U.S. forces bought the region a critical decade that was used to fend off the Communist challenge and build the vibrant countries we see today."

In fact, a number of Southeast Asians will disagree with this. Was it really a crucial respite or one that was more cruel than crucial?

The "respite" Mr. Ott speaks of was essentially an aberration to the natural, logical and progressive development of the countries of Southeast Asia. What did those years really mean?

First, the war was a tragedy of enormous proportions for the people of Southeast Asia and for Americans, too. The U.S. military involvement in Vietnam cost America enormously in treasure and the lives of its youth. By trying to shore up a corrupt regime in Vietnam, the United States forestalled the natural and nationalistic development of Vietnam. The human losses in Vietnam were of even greater proportions.

Second, the expansion of American military operations into Cambodia led directly to the ousting of Prince Sihanouk, which in turn was the critical beginning of the Khmer Rouge arrival in power. Pol Pot and the rest of his Khmer Rouge cohorts laid waste an entire society. What sort of respite was this?

Third, Cold War calculations atrophied and misdirected regional cooperation. This was especially evident in the activities of the then fledgling organization ASEAN.For much of this period of "respite," the energies of ASEAN leaders and diplomats were aimed at building up international consensus on the dangers of Vietnam's aggression and occupation of Cambodia, not at promoting economic growth and social progress, as they were intended to do.

Fourth, the "respite" theory does not fully consider the fact that all countries of the ASEAN region pulled themselves up economically despite pervasive poverty, Communist subversion and a potentially crippling reliance on monothematic economic structures.

The achievements of the ASEAN countries owe much to political leadership and the hard work of its population. The years of "respite" were often years of challenge. Singapore's evolution from a colonial outpost into a vibrant, modern economy was the achievement of Lee Kuan Yew. Malaysia, after the civil disturbances of May 1969, achieved progress in restructuring society and abolishing poverty and has rapidly industrialized during the Mahathir administration. Indonesia, under President Suharto, laid the foundation for its current growth. For Thailand, the "respite" provided justification for military leadership.

The common judgment of America's military involvement in Vietnam is in many ways the correct judgment: It was totally misconceived, totally mismanaged and ultimately pointless.

MURUGESU PATHMANATHAN.

Kuala Lumpur.

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