This ADDENDUM to my memoir Honor and Trust - My Journey with America's Refugees 1975-2020 begins with comments received from several distinguished friends and colleagues, whom I had the honor to know over the past decades. Anti-Asian incidents and related frictions, experienced by the Vietnamese communities and other Asian-American groups since 2021, have alerted our multi-racial society of new developments in need of concerted efforts to resolve.
As an Addendum, Catching the Livestreams 2021-2025 notes the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 was a debacle episode filled with chaotic evacuation scenes in Kabul, bringing back powerful memories of the fall of Saigon to the communist forces in 1975. Importantly, a major difference worthy of recognition is the heroic fight for freedom by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) in the South, in sharp contrast to the lack of resistance by the Afghanistan Army against the Taliban insurgents. The U.S. refugee and immigrant programs in 2021 again welcomed and assisted the Afghans displaced by the conflict. The noble American tradition and endeavors are highlighted, with reflections and perspectives from my long-term involvement in the U.S. refugee program.
Significantly, the on-going heroic fight for freedom and democracy by the Ukrainian people against the Russian unprovoked invasion since February 2022 is covered prominently in this Addendum. The courage and effectiveness of the Ukrainian fighters deny President Vladimir Putin the victory he anticipated. With significant U.S. and NATO financial and military assistance to Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky and the brave Ukrainian fighters have effectively stalled the Russian advance at the start of the invasion and later made impressive gains in their counteroffensive in September 2022.
As the war drags on, widespread humanitarian tragedies and war crimes have pushed over 6 million Ukrainian refugees into Poland and surrounding countries, plus millions more internally displaced, as reported by CNN in September 2022. A new chapter in the U.S. refugee program has now been expanded to assist 125,000 refugees since 2022.