Agent Orange is somewhat harmless.

These deformities are due to the 1% (people reading these articles and visiting the region) not acknowledging how good they have it in 'The Capitol'

Although there is some philosophy that in the rich world many of these people would have been aborted. Many also would have been prevented/helped with prenatal/postnatal care.

The original title is somewhat better - "A Secret War. Decades of Suffering. Will the U.S. Ever Make Good in Laos?"

The poverty that causes these issues is tied to lost commerce due to unexploded ordnances in the region.

But then the communist government is horrific https://thediplomat.com/2020/01/no-new-thinking-in-laos/