Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Obama weighs selling U.S. arms to Hanoi in bitter irony for Vietnam veterans
Washington Times ^ | 5/22/16 | Dave Boyer

Posted on 05/22/2016 7:33:00 PM PDT by Nachum

In a move that is raising concerns among some Vietnam War veterans, President Obama will discuss selling more U.S. arms to Hanoi during his visit to Vietnam that began Sunday night.

Top White House advisers said Mr. Obama hasn’t made a decision whether to lift the partial U.S. embargo on sending military equipment to Vietnam, where more than 58,200 U.S. soldiers were killed before the fall of Saigon in 1975. But the administration sees advantages in easing the embargo, both as a warning to expansionist China and as leverage to compel the communist regime in Hanoi to improve its record on human rights.

“We are thinking through how our evolving security cooperation [is] going to look moving forward,” said White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes. “They regularly raise this issue with us. We are looking at, of course, how our broader relationship is evolving, including our continued commitment to support human rights in Vietnam.”

The notion of selling more lethal weaponry to Vietnam is a bitter irony to some veterans of the war and to some Vietnamese-Americans who fled the communists.

“They are still a communist country,” said retired Army Maj. Wulf Linden, a Georgia resident who served two tours in Vietnam. “If it’s the cream of our crop [of weapons systems], obviously that would be a bad mistake. It would be nice if we’re not selling to a regime that’s a documented communist regime. That’s my concern.”

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: arms; armstohanoi; armstovietnam; china; obamavietnam; veterans; vietnam; vietnamvets; vietnamwar
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-65 next last
Send them Bergdahl instead.
1 posted on 05/22/2016 7:33:00 PM PDT by Nachum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Jet Jaguar; NorwegianViking; ExTexasRedhead; HollyB; FromLori; EricTheRed_VocalMinority; ...

The list, Ping

Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list

http://www.nachumlist.com/


2 posted on 05/22/2016 7:35:10 PM PDT by Nachum (ISIS is alive... and Chris Stevens is dead)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

Obama’s Jane Fonda moment!


3 posted on 05/22/2016 7:35:25 PM PDT by Don Corleone ("Oil the gun..eat the cannoli. Take it to the Mattress.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

Well, we’ve all been wondering what horrors Hussein will inflict on us and the world before he leaves office. This is just the beginning.


4 posted on 05/22/2016 7:37:54 PM PDT by Old Grumpy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

Let china have their way with VN. They can thank Uncle Ho for it.


5 posted on 05/22/2016 7:38:33 PM PDT by virgil (The evil that men do lives after them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

Another `Barbara Satin’ moment for Obama. Expect more as this lamest of duck’s ignonimous tenure finally winds down.


6 posted on 05/22/2016 7:39:18 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

This reprobate hates America SO MUCH....This is just another in-your-face to Americans and our military as well as the stand of REAL Americans against communism.

A sick Communist pandering to sick Communists.


7 posted on 05/22/2016 7:39:21 PM PDT by EagleUSA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Don Corleone

They hate the Chinese, that’s what is driving this.

The last time Vietnam’s armed forces acted, they got rid of Pol Pot, so they weren’t all bad.

They also fought the ChiComs that year, as well.

Like Ho Chi Minh said, “I’d rather smell French sh-t for five years, than Chinese s—t for a thousand years.”


8 posted on 05/22/2016 7:39:31 PM PDT by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

send them Obama and Valerie Jarrett


9 posted on 05/22/2016 7:40:56 PM PDT by Enchante (Hillary Clinton: Hamas puts its rockets and ammo in schools and hospitals because Gaza is small)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

We thought Peking was supporting the south during the war. Guess we were wrong. Reopen Cam Ran Bay.


10 posted on 05/22/2016 7:41:50 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

Both countries have an interest in opposing Chinese expansion. It’s business, not personal.


11 posted on 05/22/2016 7:41:55 PM PDT by Ken H (Best election ever!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DIRTYSECRET

Vietnam was a Soviet client.


12 posted on 05/22/2016 7:43:36 PM PDT by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

Let the POS STAY THERE INSTEAD!


13 posted on 05/22/2016 7:43:52 PM PDT by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

If you have a Microsoft Lumia Windows Phone, take a look at the About screen. Chances are it says, “Made in Vietnam”.


14 posted on 05/22/2016 7:44:03 PM PDT by r_barton (GO TRUMP!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EagleUSA

“...This is just another in-your-face to Americans and our military...”

#######################

That’s exactly what this is...These next 7-8 months are going to be full of crap like this...


15 posted on 05/22/2016 7:44:14 PM PDT by JBW1949 (I'm really PC....PATRIOTICALLY CORRECT!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

I actually agree with this. China needs to be taken down a few pegs. Having US ships in Cam Ran Bay again would be a good start.


16 posted on 05/22/2016 7:44:24 PM PDT by rbg81 (Truth is stranger than fiction)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

Yeah, one thing Obama has always been great at is exerting leverage. Man, oh man, can he do that!! Well, maybe not.


17 posted on 05/22/2016 7:45:06 PM PDT by EDINVA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

Let me get this straight: we’re going to encourage Hanoi to improve their human rights record by selling them the means to kill people. Good call, State Department.


18 posted on 05/22/2016 7:47:29 PM PDT by Billthedrill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

The “security” angle is a ruse. There is a pattern here. Iran now north Vietnam. It’s as if obama is signaling an apology of sorts to the dregs of the earth.


19 posted on 05/22/2016 7:49:13 PM PDT by plain talk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nachum

Let Siagons, be bygones, disgrace.
Isn’t Vietnam still governed by communists?


20 posted on 05/22/2016 7:49:58 PM PDT by MarchonDC09122009 (When is our next march on DC? When have we had enough?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-65 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson