The US will arm a communist country for the first time since WWII

[LuckyTheDog]

Diplomatic relations were finally restored in 1995 by President Bill Clinton, but on Monday President Barack Obama went a step further: During a visit to Hanoi, he announced he was lifting the embargo on US companies selling arms to Vietnam, 41 years after the fall of Saigon.

The Vietnam War was the bloodiest conflict America has been involved in since World War II. The physical and mental scars are still there for many of the Americans who served.

But on Monday Obama pointed to Secretary of State John Kerry, who served in the Vietnam War, and said veterans on both sides had shown “hearts can change, and peace is possible.''

Republican Senator John McCain has been a big advocate for lifting the arms embargo. McCain was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five years, and was tortured.

MORE HERE: http://yonside.com/us-will-arm-communist-country-first-time-since-wwii-2/

[Warren Stupidity]

1. Whatever it takes to keep the perpetual war going.

As a sensible centrist I recognize the importance to our economy and to the global elites who are guiding us through these perilous times that perpetual war represents.

This is why I am a sensible centrist for Clinton.

[WDIM]

3. Global elites are creating these perilous times

More guns more war and more profits from death.

[LanternWaste]

5. Specifically, how is this measurably important to the US economy?

"I recognize the importance to our economy..."

Specifically, how is this measurably important to the US economy seeing that Vietnam only accounts for under 3 percent of international arms sales, while concurrently, the country gets the vast majority of its arms from Russia?

Or (and I find this more likely) yours was merely a ripened bumper-sticker strong on allegation, weak on anything else designed to advertise how incredibly clever you are, regardless of how irrelevant...

[Chan790]

8. Because 3% is still big money.

Especially when you go to trade shows in the industry and all the talk is about expectations of US cutbacks over the next 20 years in defense spending.

[WDIM]

2. What about gun control?

More proof gun control rhetoric is just that.

The elites only care that they are the ones in control of the guns and are more than happy to sell those killing machines overseas.

[Spider Jerusalem]

4. Irrelevant nonsense that has nothing to do with military weapons?

Which is what's being talked about here. (I don't think you'll find any gun control advocates calling for military disarmament.)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. Ask your interlocutor if Vietnam has a right to resist Chinese irredentism?

They certainly had a right when France and us were the irredentists.

[WDIM]

9. Murder machine is a murder machine.

They are only meant for one thing killing people. They only benefit who the arms dealers who make what the same ar14$ and Ak47$ that kill the children on our streets.

Murder is murder.

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. Weapons proliferation has always worked so well through History

World War one was great for arms manufacturers .

[Blue_Tires]

10. But only to keep a much bigger communist aggressor at bay...

so what the hell is the problem?

[rug]

11. Ballast to China.

Stupid.

[bemildred]

12. Vietnam, the US and the Centrality of Geopolitics

U.S. President Barack Obama in Hanoi yesterday announced an end to the decades-long arms embargo on Vietnam. Vietnam may purchase weapons from the United States under the same terms as other nations. This would not be major news except for the fact that the United States fought and lost a seven-year war with Vietnam.

One would think that history and ideology would make arms trade impossible. But when we look at the post-war history of the region, the unimportance of ideology in the decisions that nations make is actually startling.

The reason for this decision is China. In my view, the Chinese do not yet pose a significant military threat globally or in the region. At the same time, their intent is to increase their capabilities and the United States must plan accordingly.

Geography dictates that the United States must find allies who have significant disputes with China and need support to cope with a potential threat. China and Vietnam were allied during the Vietnam War, with China providing massive amounts of weapons, material and some advisers to Vietnam. The Chinese saw the defeat of the United States as diminishing the American threat to China.

https://geopoliticalfutures.com/vietnam-the-us-and-the-centrality-of-geopolitics/