I served a year in-country in Vietnam 1967-68, including during Tet, and another 8 months off the coast 1966-67. Yes, the Soviet Union and the PRC were actively supporting North Vietnam including sending weapons, advisers, flying combat aircraft, and manning anti-aircraft batteries.
We paid them back in Afghanistan by supporting the opposition, mostly Afghans and other Islamic volunteers, most notably Osama bin Laden. The blowback was 9/11 and our 20 year involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. Iran provided weapons and funding to the opposition. I was in Riyadh and Dhahran during Operation Desert Shield/Storm.
In retrospect, I have doubts about the degree to which we were involved in these conflicts. Were the costs in blood and treasure worth it? We now know that our leaders lied to us about many things. The Domino Theory, the justification for Vietnam, turned out to be a crock. Mission creep in Afghanistan was a clear mistake. Is Iraq better off today? Did Jimmy Carter’s human rights policies and his greasing the skids for the removal of the Shah sow the seeds for militant Islamic fundamentalism? We are living with the consequences today.
Given its historical, cultural, and linguistic ties to Ukraine along with a 1,500 mile border, Russia cannot afford to lose in Ukraine. For example, any serious attempt to take Crimea would be viewed as an attack against Russia itself. Escalation, including tactical nuclear weapons is a distinct possibility. We have no treaty obligations to defend Ukraine. We really don’t have the money to arm and rebuild Ukraine. What is the end game? Russia doesn’t have the conventional military forces to invade and occupy Europe, which has a total population and GDP equal to the US. Why are we footing the lion’s share of the costs?
As someone who has put his life and limb on the line a number of times on behalf of this country, it is an insult to question my loyalty. Just because I don’t support our involvement in this proxy war, doesn’t mean I defend Putin’s actions. He is a former KGB thug. My sole interest is what is best for the US.