Should the US move its Cobra Gold war games out of Thailand?

[DaddyWarbucks]

Too many quotes

"You sound like an American lawyer.

Getting rid of the dictatorship and the American military bases were the prime objectives of the 1976 student revolt.

Stating otherwise is ignorance or willful misinformation.

As for the poster who claimed "Vietnam was not a defeat"... that is just ludicrous."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thammasat_University_massacre

and the vary last base was closed 4 months before this happened - empty gone - everyone knew years before they were already going - no longer an issue by then - unrelated to the current events at that time. By the time of this protest that issue was completely ended - How do you protest the presents of something that is not there. Getting rid of what bases? where? Which base was operating in Thailand that they wanted closed in Oct. 76? Even as far back as 73 the US bases were never the center piece of anything that was happening even if it came up as part of some concerns and used as a wage - that is standard Thai politic - 10,000 other inter Thai issues were on top the charts. I am sorry but it is simply not America's fault that it happened and we did not, do not and never will have any responsibility for any type of dictatorship in Thailand past - present or future - wishing it was so does not change real history.

I see no point in continuing this. farewell.

Besides accusing me of being a lawyer is a low blow.

Neither the Wikipedia article nor any other factual account refutes my claim that one of the prime reasons for the student uprising was the presence of US forces in Thailand.

I stand by what I said.

[jdinasia]

LOL yet the US bases were already closed.

[DaddyWarbucks]

LOL yet the US bases were already closed.

The Vietnam War had been lost but the American military presence that was supporting the dictatorship didn't end until the student revolt of October 1976.

[EyesWideOpen]

Obviously Thailand and the US need Cobra Gold.

This is a regional exercise and Thailand is a vital strategic ally. The US shift to an Asian focus needs Thailand more now than ever.

America is indeed shifting to an Asian focus, but not sure Thailand

will be an important part of that. They have proven themselves over

and over to simply be a fair weather friend, with a lot of direct and

indirect financial links to China. If I was America, I would not waste

one dollar on Cobra Gold....

[jdinasia]

Obviously Thailand and the US need Cobra Gold.

This is a regional exercise and Thailand is a vital strategic ally. The US shift to an Asian focus needs Thailand more now than ever.

America is indeed shifting to an Asian focus, but not sure Thailand

will be an important part of that. They have proven themselves over

and over to simply be a fair weather friend, with a lot of direct and

indirect financial links to China. If I was America, I would not waste

one dollar on Cobra Gold....

LOL are you suggesting that America doesn't have a lot of direct and indirect financial links to China?

When has Thailand been less than a solid ally to the US?

[EyesWideOpen]

Obviously Thailand and the US need Cobra Gold.

This is a regional exercise and Thailand is a vital strategic ally. The US shift to an Asian focus needs Thailand more now than ever.

America is indeed shifting to an Asian focus, but not sure Thailand

will be an important part of that. They have proven themselves over

and over to simply be a fair weather friend, with a lot of direct and

indirect financial links to China. If I was America, I would not waste

one dollar on Cobra Gold....

LOL are you suggesting that America doesn't have a lot of direct and indirect financial links to China?

When has Thailand been less than a solid ally to the US?

Been here long ?? LOL This was from Thaksin, I do not have time

to pull up the other endless examples. I actually believe that America's focus on Asia will be in Vietnam. They are at least smart enough there to want to use America's power to try and blunt China's insane claims on island in the south China sea. But I suppose if China was seizing islands in Thailand, they might take a much friendlier attitude towards America....

"BANGKOK - Thailand's prime minister, a key American ally in the war on terror, blasted Washington on Friday as a "useless friend'' after a U.S. State Department report criticised his government's human rights record."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/6842-thaksin-calls-usa-a-useless-friend/

Edited October 25, 2014 by EyesWideOpen

[Prbkk]

Obviously Thailand and the US need Cobra Gold.

This is a regional exercise and Thailand is a vital strategic ally. The US shift to an Asian focus needs Thailand more now than ever.

America is indeed shifting to an Asian focus, but not sure Thailand

will be an important part of that. They have proven themselves over

and over to simply be a fair weather friend, with a lot of direct and

indirect financial links to China. If I was America, I would not waste

one dollar on Cobra Gold....

LOL are you suggesting that America doesn't have a lot of direct and indirect financial links to China?

When has Thailand been less than a solid ally to the US?

Perhaps when it declared war on the U.S. As a collaborationist colony of Japan?

[jdinasia]

OMG!! Thaksin made a stupid remark? Say it is not so!!

(this was after the US slammed Thailand.. Justifiably so)

But how did that statement make either country less than good allies?

Edit - you added more. Strangely Vietnam has closer ties to China.. You may want to look at further developments regarding cooperation in the South China Sea.

Edited October 25, 2014 by jdinasia

[jdinasia]

Obviously Thailand and the US need Cobra Gold.

This is a regional exercise and Thailand is a vital strategic ally. The US shift to an Asian focus needs Thailand more now than ever.

America is indeed shifting to an Asian focus, but not sure Thailand

will be an important part of that. They have proven themselves over

and over to simply be a fair weather friend, with a lot of direct and

indirect financial links to China. If I was America, I would not waste

one dollar on Cobra Gold....

LOL are you suggesting that America doesn't have a lot of direct and indirect financial links to China?

When has Thailand been less than a solid ally to the US?

Perhaps when it declared war on the U.S. As a collaborationist colony of Japan?

The US never acknowledged that (and was not allied at the time)

Note - Thailand was occupied by Japan not colonized by them

Edited October 25, 2014 by jdinasia

[Local Drunk]

Obviously Thailand and the US need Cobra Gold.

This is a regional exercise and Thailand is a vital strategic ally. The US shift to an Asian focus needs Thailand more now than ever.

America is indeed shifting to an Asian focus, but not sure Thailand

will be an important part of that. They have proven themselves over

and over to simply be a fair weather friend, with a lot of direct and

indirect financial links to China. If I was America, I would not waste

one dollar on Cobra Gold....

LOL are you suggesting that America doesn't have a lot of direct and indirect financial links to China?

When has Thailand been less than a solid ally to the US?

Perhaps when it declared war on the U.S. As a collaborationist colony of Japan?

The American interest would be containment.

[Prbkk]

Yes, well while Thailand considered itself to be a close ally of the U.S. During the Vietnam War, it hardly covered itself in glory in its ghastly treatment of those trying to escape persecution/re-education/execution from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Gerry Ford did nothing and by the time The Carter administration worked out what was happening, the worst was over. Escape into Thailand did not have a dream ending for many refugees

[jdinasia]

Yes, well while Thailand considered itself to be a close ally of the U.S. During the Vietnam War, it hardly covered itself in glory in its ghastly treatment of those trying to escape persecution/re-education/execution from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Gerry Ford did nothing and by the time The Carter administration worked out what was happening, the worst was over. Escape into Thailand did not have a dream ending for many refugees

Again how does that diminish the long term strategic alliance between the US and Thailand?

[Local Drunk]

Yes, well while Thailand considered itself to be a close ally of the U.S. During the Vietnam War, it hardly covered itself in glory in its ghastly treatment of those trying to escape persecution/re-education/execution from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Gerry Ford did nothing and by the time The Carter administration worked out what was happening, the worst was over. Escape into Thailand did not have a dream ending for many refugees

It was worse for the Cambodians.

[Prbkk]

Yes, well while Thailand considered itself to be a close ally of the U.S. During the Vietnam War, it hardly covered itself in glory in its ghastly treatment of those trying to escape persecution/re-education/execution from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Gerry Ford did nothing and by the time The Carter administration worked out what was happening, the worst was over. Escape into Thailand did not have a dream ending for many refugees

Again how does that diminish the long term strategic alliance between the US and Thailand?

I'm not convinced that there is a lot of trust in the USA in respect of Thailand's sincerity and direction. It's not a great look when the former PM and Foreign Minister leads a feral mob to the embassy. Maybe he was badly advised but it's not the kind of thing one expects of "old friends".

The relatively low level of US investment in Thailand also indicates some doubts about the future prospects for the relationship. The U.S. Seems to see better opportunities in Vietnam.

[Local Drunk]

Yes, well while Thailand considered itself to be a close ally of the U.S. During the Vietnam War, it hardly covered itself in glory in its ghastly treatment of those trying to escape persecution/re-education/execution from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Gerry Ford did nothing and by the time The Carter administration worked out what was happening, the worst was over. Escape into Thailand did not have a dream ending for many refugees

Again how does that diminish the long term strategic alliance between the US and Thailand?

Considering the changes in US administration since then; it would be nice to know exactly what the long term strategic alliance is about. I'll guess. It starts with a C and ends with an a. We really have to go back to Nixon to get it.

[Elmer Gantry]

The US doesn't do anything for nothing.1 example I can think of was WW2 when they so graciously gave us 40 WW1 destroyers,under the Lease Lend agreement.What the UK had to agree to was a US base in the Bahamas.I started a thread about Diego Garcia,some interesting comments about how bad the UK govenrment treated the indigenous people.What is not known is that it was at the insistance of the US that the island was cleared.How do I know.I was on the RN survey ship Vidal along with the American personnel.Hope this gets posted to set the record straight.Just as as an afterthought it was only within the last 10 years that the UK paid it's final installment back to the US for saving us.PAID IN FULL.

[jdinasia]

Yes, well while Thailand considered itself to be a close ally of the U.S. During the Vietnam War, it hardly covered itself in glory in its ghastly treatment of those trying to escape persecution/re-education/execution from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Gerry Ford did nothing and by the time The Carter administration worked out what was happening, the worst was over. Escape into Thailand did not have a dream ending for many refugees

Again how does that diminish the long term strategic alliance between the US and Thailand?

I'm not convinced that there is a lot of trust in the USA in respect of Thailand's sincerity and direction. It's not a great look when the former PM and Foreign Minister leads a feral mob to the embassy. Maybe he was badly advised but it's not the kind of thing one expects of "old friends".

The relatively low level of US investment in Thailand also indicates some doubts about the future prospects for the relationship. The U.S. Seems to see better opportunities in Vietnam.

Hmmmm I obviously am not going to convince you if you are going to think a statement from Thaksin or a street demo is indicative of a diminished level of alliance.

That said, we are talking about military alliances here. Something that the US doesn't have with Vietnam. I am hoping my current employer will be using me to hang out during Cobra Gold '15 for cultural interactions. I have had very pleasant experiences with CULP both before and after the most recent coup.

I see the alliance between the US and Thailand as one of the strongest alliances in SEA and the West.

[Nemesis7]

Well They have conducted this ops for so many years, NO MORE plus whats the point?

[chotthee]

No. Cobra Gold will help Thailand to get back Laso, Cambodia, Burma, part of Vietnam, part of Malaysia, part of China, stolen from Siam Kingdom by English/French colonial aggressors.

[DeaconJohn]

Obviously Thailand and the US need Cobra Gold.

This is a regional exercise and Thailand is a vital strategic ally. The US shift to an Asian focus needs Thailand more now than ever.

America is indeed shifting to an Asian focus, but not sure Thailand

will be an important part of that. They have proven themselves over

and over to simply be a fair weather friend, with a lot of direct and

indirect financial links to China. If I was America, I would not waste

one dollar on Cobra Gold....

LOL are you suggesting that America doesn't have a lot of direct and indirect financial links to China?

When has Thailand been less than a solid ally to the US?

Perhaps when it declared war on the U.S. As a collaborationist colony of Japan?

You need some remedial education in Thai-American relations during WWII.

A formal state of war never existed between Thailand and the United States, and Thailand was never a colony of Japan or any other country.

The Thai ambassador to Washington, Seni Pramoj refused to deliver the declaration of war. He went on to organize the Seri Thai [Free Thai] movement with the help and support of the OSS.

By the end of the war more than 50,000 Thais had been trained and armed by Seri Thai members who had been parachuted into the country.

Many Thais did collaborate with the Japanese, but to no greater extent than the French did with the Nazis.