"the fifty some odd thousand that died fighting a war "

It wasn't "50 some odd thousands" who died. It was millions. Far more Vietnamese combatants died than Americans - on both sides. But the number of civilians who died was vastly greater. And sadly this is not a far-off war that is over and done with. And they are still dying from landmines, and from the effects of Agent Orange.

Talking about Vietnam as if the only deaths that mattered were those of the Americans who went over there is to collude in a distortion of history. Can you conceive of anyone writing about the American War of Independence and only taking any note of the British soldiers who were killed?

Truth hurts, but lies hurt more. On the account in that story Bob Kerrey told the truth at the time - and then got trapped into colluding in a lie dreamt up by the people higher up. People like Colin Powell who tried to cover up the My Lai atrocity.

Wounds don't heal cleanly if they aren't cleaned properly.