“...we weren’t given free reign to just ignore their laws with total impunity.”
No, we were subject to UCMJ, and nothing more. Not even a SOFA. I don’t know what impunity has to do with it, but we DID disregard their laws (almost as much as they did) on a continual basis.....
I am unaware of any GI ever being charged in a Vietnamese Court, criminal or civil. I’m also unaware of a single incident of Vn law being considered wrt our operations, planned or ad-lib. In fact, in the 1st Inf Div in 1967-68, any discussion or consideration along these lines quickly terminated with we’ve got “diplomatic immunity”, which I thought we had, until I noticed the claim in the flyer you posted and found the page I linked in response. I am aware, however, that USG did pay plenty of money to Michelin (and other plantations) for defoliant damage.
Then I guess we have no right to expect Illegal Immigrants to respect our laws then, right?