AirAmrica, I agree the living standard of Lao people should be better, and the current Lao Govt. should have accepted and adopted the change long time ago. I'm also aware of their agreements with China and other; in which I'm concern that the China will take advantage of Laos limited resource and/or destroy her enviroment as they have done in many poor countries. Even though, current Lao leaders have made a great steps toward better Laos, but I'm concern that they do not have sufficent skill and experience and knowlegde to negociate in the world economy stage nor will they not fail from being taking advantage of from development countries. The cost of cleaning/fixing up after china enviroment damage toward Laos will be more than benefit the Laos will get. I hope they have wisdom to learn, and conduct some research, and enact some kind of law to protect Laos from long term damage of short term gain. I understand that currently UN is trying to help Lao Government create a rule of law that acceptable to be trading in the world economy; and Lao Government is also inviting educated Laotian to come back Laos to help they make a progress (from my opinion, in order to attract qualify and quality educated Laotian from the free world, Lao policy and incentive must be adjust and change, if not they are only going to get those angry and resentful generalation of Mr. Vang). In sum, supporting a guerrilla fighting war have not and will not bring much progress to Laos; AirAmerica, I hope you have a forgiveness heart and capable to accept a lost of 30 years ago. Would you agree and accept that in your life time, Laos would not get to be free as the U.S. or have a same politic system here or become they way you want it, but this does not mean is off limit to the next Laotian generation. You appear wanting what is good for Lao/Hmoung people and/or want to go back, I hope you can go back and live there, and participate in the progress of Lao; that Lao leaders are attempting to do. Respectfull submit.

AirAmerican, there are also many allegations (emphasize) of him misconduct and/or take advantage of older Hmoung generation here, too. I personally have low tolerant or have no respect to people who are abusing a trust of weaker people (if the allegation is truth). I began to follow the news and blog, because my heart is breaking to see video of living condition of Hmong in Jungle, I respectfully disagree with your philosophy/expression here that we (Lao/Hmoung) in U.S. should support them to continue those life so they can continue to free Laos from current Lao Govement (I’d agree to some degree if that was in 1980). Again, I do not care nor agree with current Lao Government.

AirAmerican, Since I saw your blog here, I further a search on Mr. Vang and records of Laos History. Mr. Pao Vang was borned in China, in 1931; from this fact he is naturalized Hmong/Lao citizen; I assumed he lives in the U.S. longer than Laos. If base on the U.S. Law, he would be disqualified to run Laos? Even though, I respect your past history with him, but I would not go as far as you to claim that he is Lao’s hero and was only person responsible to get us get into the U.S. nor was he not taken advantage of Laos during time he was in power there ---this is basing on the fact and record. For more addition record/fact regard VP can be found from the CIA webpage or title search as: CIA Air Operations in Laos, 1955-1974; Supporting the "Secret War" by William M. Leary; or link followings: https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/winter99-00/art7.html http://www.laoveterans.com/custom2.html. The record/fact about AirAmerican and record of Laos history also in there.

AirAmerica, with all your respect, you appear to be mistrustful, paranoids, and miss my point. You attack people who have a different life path/experience than your or expressed a diff. opinion. Moreover, your point of supporting or misleading a poor/uneducating Hmoung in the jungle to fight pointless war in last 20-years clearly show that neither you seek peace, democracy, nor progress for Laos, nor you capable to see and want the Hmoung in the jungle or Lao people in Laos to have normal life like you. Your expressions appear to show that You, Mr. Vang, and his associates are more interested of seeking to reclaim his old glory day. There’re many different ways to seek a change for Laos than war; our history or every Laotian’s journey (here) should teach us those lesson. I do not want to see Laos as the Afghanistan past and present that ran by Taliban and/or uneducated/selfish people, and/or a corruption people as today news have shown that when they got opportunity for change and develop, they could not able to do or take advance of the opportunity that seldom come by. The changing in Laos politic appears to be more very personal to you than to me (I’m only interested to see Laos has educated citizens and has an economy that able to compete in the world economy), I hope you’ll take a diff. step in change than a war/fighting; so Lao progress can began; and please help and incur the Hmong in the jungle to seek a normalcy life. Respectfully submitted.

I’m naturalized U.S. Citizen. My late father was in the Royal Laotain Army, even though he was not Hmong. FYI, I finished high school here and put myself through college, and I did that all on my own. Since I got here, I’m not living in Lao community, but I’m updated/educated on the fact about Laos and my heritage. Recently, I googled matter relating to Laos, when family members inviting me to go back visiting Laos; that how I came about finding out Mr. Vang’s arresting news.

The Hmongs are no doubt confuse after they have been encouraged to fighting a pointless war for very long time. Those insurgents and/or Hmong should try to do their best to restart over with current Lao government; we should support them to have peace, and encourage them to find a living condition of a normal life. If current govement will not forgive and still want to prosecute them, they should leave Lao and asking for asylum. The asylum still avaible and open. The asylum is a better tool to use than continue to be insurgents and fighting a pointless war or be class as Terrorist.

so I’m sad to see his personal gain, lack of understanding, and poor judgment have caused so much destruction toward Laos or his own country. His actions have created a long lasting hardship to Hmong/Lao people; and if he is continually supporting and encouraging a pointless fighting in the last 10 to 15 years, this further showed unconscionable conduct toward the confusing Hmong insurgents and the Lao’s progress. I do not agree with a lot of the current Lao government nor could I able to live in Lao after I have been living in free country for most of my life, but I do not want Lao people to be destroy its own country or the country destroy by its own people. I believe the best cure for the problem is to have educated Lao citizens and have Laos has a strong economy. So to Mr. Pao, his supporters, and Lao govenment, I hope they will change directions for the good of Laos.

Said---even Mr. Pao or the Hmong insurgent groups are able to win or overthrow the current Lao government in the future; respectfully, I still do not believe Lao will be better off in their hand. Because they are not educated enough nor qualified to run any country, nor have wisdom to pick right people to run Laos; based on their actions in the history and currently. As the leaders one must look for the greater good and a long term goal for Laos and its people, not just for oneself pride. History showed that Mr. Pao and his group had an hand on helping bombed his own country during the vietman war for personal gain. The record showed that the bombs that bombed into Laos were more than world war I and world war II combined; especially the using of the chimical weapon bombs that he had handed helping in bombing (the chimical and un- explore bombs will continue to impact on Lao people for long long time to come);

I have been in the U.S. over-25-years. I’m educated and had handled case law. The Vietnam-War and the changing of Lao in 1975 had personally broken my family apart. I remembered the Lao’s government and the insurgent groups fought each other out, their fighting have further cause damage toward my family and other who were in the same situation. The arrest of Mr. Pao and other is very sad and heart breaking. I can understand that Mr. Pao and his support want to reclaim his glory day---that he was hero in helping the U.S. during the Vietman war. However, I respectfully disagree with him, and believe he is wrong--if in last 15-years, he has been supported and given a misleading hope to those Hmongs/insurgents to put their life in last 30-years to carry on the pointlss fighting in the jungle. It’s heart breaking to see the hardship to their life and horrible living condition---as we have seen in you-tube-video.