[diesel00]

We need to ally with Vietnam to stem the expansion of China in the region.

Be careful what you wish for. The Vietnamese are more statist than the Chinese right now. Allying with all these shady banana republics just to contain China may come to bite us back in the rear. During the Cold War, Vietnam was allied with the USSR, while China despised USSR and Vietnam. China in 1978 even went to war with Vietnam shortly after our troops left, that war didn't end until 1989.

[MaineVoter2002]

The Vietnamese are more statist than the Chinese right now

At this point China blocks a lot from its people on the internet while Vietnamese people in internet cafes and at home can even freely surf Freerepublic.

While Vietnam is far from perfect, the people do have much more freedom of information than do the chinese people.

[rahbert]

yeah, but the Viets never threatened to nuke LA as the Chicoms have. Nor do they have missiles pointed at us,
or trade in nucular technology with shadey middle eastern
types.