Efforts to argue that the American intervention is not, technically, criminal, therefore seek to establish that we are engaged in collective self-defense of South Vietnam against an armed attack from the North. Defenders of American actions frequently argue that questions of law are too complex for the layman and should be left to experts. However, in this case, a careful reading of the arguments, pro and con, reveals little divergence over questions of law. This is an issue concerning which the layman is in a position to make a judgment, and the responsible citizen will not be frightened away from doing so by the claim that the matter is too esoteric for him to comprehend. Extensive documentation is available, and, I believe, it shows clearly that the American war is criminal, even in the narrowest technical sense.
Japan is a rival.
Europe is a rival, too. Our system, on the other hand, works quite differently, since our system is the Pentagon system.