"...US working w/Vietnam, because CHINA's biggest long term Mil. threat."

[Up2Late]

WHAT?!?! Yes, you heard it right, They just reported on NPR that the reason the US Government is giving for their renewed diplomatic efforts to improve our economic and diplomatic relations with Vietnam is because Vietnam and China have a long standing rivalry with China, and according to the Defense Departments recently released "Quadrennial Defense Review" China poses the largest Long-term Military threat to the U.S.!

Has anyone told Wal-Mart?

Does this mean the lunatics at the DOD are planning to re-fight the Vietnam War too?!? :wtf:

What the hell is going on?:banghead:

Rumsfeld Scouts for Friends in Vietnam

Audio for this story will be available at approx. 7:30 p.m. ET (at link)

All Things Considered, June 4, 2006 · Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld continues his Asian tour
with a stop in Vietnam. The United States and its former enemy
are increasing military cooperation. The United States sees Vietnam
as a strategic counterweight to China, the big military power in
the region. NPR's John Hendren is traveling with the secretary and
discusses the visit with Howard Berkes.

<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5450729>

[MADem]

1. The enemy of my enemy is my friend

Guess they wanna eventually get some use out of that deepwater facility we built at Cahm Rahn Bay....the Russkies loved the hell out of it after we left...

[Up2Late]

4. Sorry, they didn't teach us much about the Vietnam War when I was...

...in school in the late 1970's, early 1980's, what was at Cahm Rahn Bay? I've heard of it, but I don't know what it is.

Plus, I heard there is a major Gas field off the coast of Vietnam. Knowing these Bozo's, that's most likely what they are really interested in.

[MADem]

6. We built what was, at the time, a real state-of-the-art port facility

there; deep water, ro-ro capability, all the bells and whistles. Nowadays it's just OK, but we left shortly after finishing up all the modernizations, which the Russkies subsequently were delighted to lease from the government.

[adwon]

2. This makes sense

Within 20 years or so, whether it intends to or not, China will have the capability to challenge for, essentially, the hegemonic spot. Vietnam's in a good location to contend with the possibility.

Precisely how would better relations with Vietnam cause that particular war to be refought? That makes no sense.

[Up2Late]

3. Because I don't think China would be too happy about us setting up...

...new military bases in Vietnam. I don't know for sure the DOD would, but that's usually the way they do this sort of thing, when we declare another country a threat.

Maybe I'm just getting too far ahead in my thinking.

[adwon]

5. So?

The PRC's potential unhappiness is irrelevant. They understand that you assess capability first, intent second (too bad Numbnuts and co. don't understand the same). Reopening Cam Ranh Bay, Da Nang, etc. are to be considered, but I'd say not definitive (at least not at this stage). The fact that Vietnam was coming under, to some degree, the US security umbrella may be enough to deter a potential challenger. That would be a good thing; not just for the US, but for China and the region as well. If they figure the risk isn't worth the reward, then people don't die.

[ShaneGR]

7. If China invades Taiwan....

Wouldn't it help to have naval bases in Vietnam?

[hadrons]

8. US refuses to compensate vietnam's agent orange victims

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2663093

I wonder if this will change