Clinton seeks human rights progress in Vietnam

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Clinton seeks human rights progress in Vietnam
The Associated Press
Thursday, July 22, 2010; 3:48 AM

HANOI, Vietnam -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday urged Vietnam to improve its human rights record and pledged greater cooperation in dealing with the lingering impact of Agent Orange from the Vietnam War.

In Hanoi for events marking the 15th anniversary of normalized U.S.-Vietnam relations, Clinton said, "Vietnam, with its extraordinary, dynamic population, is on the path to becoming a great nation with an unlimited potential."

However, she said, "That is among the reasons we expressed concern about arrest and conviction of people for peaceful dissent, attacks on religious groups and curbs on Internet freedom."

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, who joined Clinton at an opening press conference, responded, "This is I think a difference between Vietnam and the U.S."

Khiem said, "Human rights have common values but ... it depends a lot on the cultural and historical background." He noted that President Barack Obama has said human rights values shouldn't be imposed from the outside.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/22/AR2010072200713.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Don't know what kept these people from screaming when she started preaching to them

concerning "human rights" in VietNam.

From the article, something to ponder:

Between 1962 and 1971, the U.S. military sprayed roughly 11 million gallons of Agent Orange across large swaths of southern Vietnam. Dioxin, a toxic chemical used in the herbicide, has been linked to cancers, birth defects and other ailments.

Vietnam says as many as 4 million of its citizens were exposed to the herbicide and as many as 3 million have suffered illnesses caused by it.

How'd "human rights" work out for all those helpless, innocent citizens, Secretary Clinton?

[madrchsod]

2. oh no walmart is`t going to be happy.....

they won`t be able to sell miley cryus t shirts for 7 dollars.

Vietnam is china`s worse enemy when it comes to wages in south east asia. their workers work cheaper and have zero rights.the distinction for the worse country in south east asia is burma. burma uses child slave labor to produce goods for walmart and others.

[saigon68]

3. She's in Hanoi

That's a whole lot more than the DLC draft Dodger she married.

Don't forget Nike is one of that cesspools biggest employers (Michael Jordan Cheers)

[Peace Patriot]

4. Vietnam, hm? How about she start "seeking human rights" in Guantanamo?

Or in the murderous U.S. client states of Colombia and Honduras, where the lives of union leaders, human rights workers, teachers, community activists, political leftists, peasant farmers, journalists and anyone perceived as opposing the U.S.-funded governments aren't worth a plug nickle, as they used to say.

Aren't TWO MILLION lives, already sacrificed to U.S. multinationals and war profiteers in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, enough? The survivors have to listen to LECTURES by the U.S. about HUMAN RIGHTS?

Jeez.

You gotta wonder what Clinton's real goal is, in ragging Vietnam about "human rights." (Are they being obstreperous--a bit too demanding-- about some U.S. multinational slave labor contract?) Whatever it is, it is a DISTRACTION from some very worrisome events, including the ominous U.S. military buildup in Colombia and the Caribbean, along Venezuela's border and right off Venezuela's oil coast.

There is considerable evidence that the NEXT "Vietnam" is being planned in the bowels of the Pentagon right now, in our own hemisphere. And its goal is a bit more focused than Vietnam, which was a sheer war profiteer and narco-profiteer bloodbath. The goal now is oil, first and foremost. Secondary goals, to destroy the leftist democracy movement in Latin America and especially to break up the growing unity among Latin American countries opposed to U.S. domination, U.S. bullying and "free trade for the rich."

[bemildred]

5. Charity begins at home, Hil. How about some human rights progress here in the USA? nt

[karynnj]

6. The fifteenth anniversary of the reconciliation with Vietnam just passed

Here is a link to some surprisingly good coverage from a right wing source of Clinon, Kerry, and McCain speaking of their efforts on this. (I suspect they hope that being in the company of these two Democrats hurts McCain) But, no matter what the reason - 15 minutes of excerpts of their speeches is always good - http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/McCain--Kerry--Vietnam--Normalization/2010/07/16/id/364858

Here's a Kerry op-ed on it - http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/vietnam-257729-years-war.html (The paper has three great photo of Kerry working on this in 1992. One conclusion, The MA JR senator of 1992 was better looking than the current jr Senator - not to mention the effort he led was extraordinary - if only because he managed to keep Senator Bob Smith, Senator Kerrey and Senator McCain - all prone to flare ups - calmly and methodically working. )

[saigon68]

7. `