Honorable Intentions

Title of review: Vietnam, the Hells Angels, the Dr

Review Written by Bernie Weisz, Historian, Vietnam War. Contact: Bernwei1@aol.com Sept. 15, 2013 Title of review: Vietnam, the Hells Angels, the Drug War and the Contras...the Good Guys Are Supposed to Win. But Who Are The Good Guys?

With almost a half a century worth of Russell Jones' reminiscences, the author takes you through a visceral journey of good and evil lying side by side where righteousness doesn't always triumph despite, as the book's title beckons,"good intentions." This trek is explored through Jones' experiences as a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, a police officer, narcotics detective, DEA task force officer, intelligence operative and forensic consultant. Personality traits of stealth, curiosity, lack of fear and impatience serve as the fuel that propels him to his ultimate conclusion that every act is the source of an infinite series of lasting effects. Does that sound too cryptic? You'll understand completely the meaning of this when you finish "Good Intentions." Russell Jones grew up in an age where the Cold War and Domino Theory drove many Americans to support America's entry into Southeast Asia to stop the spread of communism and preserve South Vietnam's survival from the encroaching North Vietnamese. Enlisting in the Army with the goal of being a helicopter pilot in 1967's "Summer of Love,"Jones would immediately start questioning how honorable America's intentions were in this undeclared war.

While Jones learned how to fly a helicopter at Fort Wolters, he would wonder why instead of being told to defeat communism or seek victory, the overriding message given was survival and coming back alive. Upon graduation and deployment to Vietnam in June of 1968, his enthusiasm would be short lived as Jones realized he was heading off to a war his government had no clear plans to resolve. His attitude would crystallize against the war shortly after arrival. The author would meet Hugh Thompson, the hero of My Lai and learn of the atrocities that occurred there. On one mission, he picked up from a village a woman and sick child to bring them to a hospital at Da Nang. As he was lifting off, his helicopter was fired upon. The author's intentions were honorable, yet someone below was willing to kill a mother and her sick child. Jones would become more confused as his tour wound on. Although he had faith that his government was doing the right thing in Vietnam and the Lord would return him home safely, Jones would hear the concerns of his fellow flyers. How honorable were America's intentions when slogans such as "Catch `em alive, leave `em dead, and return with war booty," and "body count, medals and a fast promotion" were the overriding concerns?

After learning of the combat deaths of former classmates as well as being wounded himself, Jones at the end of his tour would become completely disenchanted. His superior officers lied and cheated about body counts and dishonest staff officers stole flight hours to boost their own flying time. Jones would even have a recommendation for him to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross thrown away. Between bombing halts of the North, constricting "rules of engagement" and seeing his country being shackled with a defensive war with no objective while the Communists fought offensively, Russell Jones in the fall of 1970 sought an early out and his military career grounded to an end. There was a new war to fight which made sense to the author, Richard Nixon's "War on Drugs." Sworn as a police officer with only a written test and oral board, once again the notability of his intentions were called into question. As with Joseph Wambaugh's true to life novel "The Choirboys," Jones initially treated everyone including perpetrators with respect. Yet within 24 months on the job he considered everyone contemptible, including fellow law enforcement officers. Being told that one of the problems with police work was that "if you did your job right, no one would notice" was even more disconcerting.

Deciding to work undercover, Jones would descend into a world of deceit, snitching and lies. Going after Mexican street gangs and infiltrating the Hells Angels, he was required to live a lie and fit in, which would cost Jones one of eventually three marriages. Yet the author realized that despite more drug arrests, doors kicked in, guns and money seized, conversely drug dealing, murders and robberies increased as well. Moving from undercover to being a DEA task force officer would be even more revealing about honorable intentions. Jones would find similarities between some of his officers in Vietnam and DEA agents. Just like some officers were only interested in promotions and medals rather than the success of missions, there were DEA agents Jones would work with where if they couldn't solve a case of their own they would try to usurp his. And as to the war on drugs, it was like the situation with body counts in Vietnam to gauge success. Jones felt America's war on drugs was like shoveling sand against the tide. Leaving the task force and moving on in 1985 as an intelligence operative monitoring the Communist uprising in Nicaragua, Jones discloses his knowledge of drug smuggling with impunity by government operatives, with CIA knowledge. The author mentions that government operatives were behind the crack cocaine epidemic as well.

Is the war on drugs fought with honorable intentions? Consider the fact that Russell Jones asserts that this battle has resulted in more snooping, sneaking, corruption and violence than any other act of congress. When Russell Jones was six years old, he started a fire in the grass that was quickly put out by the fire department. After being questioned by a police officer, Jones confessed to being the culprit. His lesson; don't get caught. In regard to this, Jones points out that over 1.6 million citizens are arrested each year for drugs, and with less than 5 percent of the world's population, the U.S. holds 25 percent of the world's prisoners. Of these arrests, half are for marijuana and almost 90 percent are for simple possession. And in regard to being caught, a drug conviction will follow those for the rest of their lives preventing them from being doctors, lawyers or professors. Jones points out that those that use illegal drugs without being arrested can confess their prior drug use yet still become police officers, teachers and DEA agents. Jones is very much correct in regard to the fact that despite honorable intentions, the only sensible move is to end this madness and seek decriminalization. There is validity in the author's observation that drug smuggling is like a multi-headed serpent. You cut off one head, yet another appears. "Honorable Intentions" is a cerebral, deep memoir that even after several rereads will keep you contemplating about what is going on in today's society.