Obama in Vietnam: Arms and trade deal on agenda as trip begins

[webfact]

Obama in Vietnam: Arms and trade deal on agenda as trip begins

HANOI: -- Barack Obama has arrived for the start of his three-day visit to Vietnam, only the third by a sitting US president since the end of the Vietnam War.

The trip comes amid warming ties between the countries as the US seeks to build relations with Pacific allies.

Vietnam is keen for the US to lift an arms embargo that has been in place since 1984.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36354326


-- BBC 2016-05-23

[Class C]

Who is Vietnam's biggest arms provider ?

[keemapoot]

With Trump now tied with Clinton in the latest Washington Times-ABC News poll, the threat is very real that the big trade deal, the TPP, will be scuttled if Trump is elected. There have been huge efforts by Vietnam and other countries in preparation for this trade pact, but anyway, the changes Vietnam has enacted are benefiting it tremendously in attracting direct foreign investment.

For Obama, the trade part will now be subdued because of troubles at home on the election front.

[Koosdedooes]

Wow peddling arms to pinko commies...

Joe Carthy must be turning in his grave

1955 to 1975 trying to wipe Vietnam off the face of the planet

2016 kissing the "Commies" bottoms trying to flog them weapons

[boomerangutang]

Vietnam wants advanced weaponry to deal with China's territory grab of VN's coast. Nobody asked me, but the Paracel Islands should be divvied up between VN and China. 50-50. Anything else will lead to fighting.

[iBike]

China claims in that region are pretty outrageous

[Usernames]

Vietnam gets American trade deals and weapons.

Thailand gets Russian and Chinese trade deals and weapons.

I know where I would place my bet.

[terryw]

There is traffic chaos in some areas of Hanoi today. Roads closed due to Obamas' visit.

If he was visiting VN during the first year of his presidency, then something positive might be the result, but he has only a few months to retirement. It's more likely that the Vietnamese will become more anti-Chinese in the hope that the US will support them.

[kamahele]

Wow peddling arms to pinko commies...

Joe Carthy must be turning in his grave

1955 to 1975 trying to wipe Vietnam off the face of the planet

2016 kissing the "Commies" bottoms trying to flog them weapons

This is how the world turns. England tries to put down revolt of colonists in the Americas. They lose. They then become the largest overseas consumer of US raw materials. The US (with its allies including the UK) bombs Germany into submission. Contributes huge sums to rebuild the country and becomes ally and large trading partner. We don't stay enemies forever Thank God and Vietnam will prove useful as a trading partner and military ally. Oh, and I'm pretty sure Joe McCarthy is burning in hell.

[bobmac10]

Wow peddling arms to pinko commies...

Joe Carthy must be turning in his grave

1955 to 1975 trying to wipe Vietnam off the face of the planet

2016 kissing the "Commies" bottoms trying to flog them weapons

Wow man, get off the weed and have a look at Vietnam now, it's one of the fast growing economies in Asia.

[Rancid]

Well, previously Vietnam had Monsanto's Agent Orange killing them, with the TPP they'll be back to finish the job with their GMO poisons. What better reason to sign up?

The US wants Vietnam as part of their China encirclement, so Obama is there to threaten and deal. Many of Thailand's problems will also disappear if they tow the line as well.

[IMA_FARANG]

Wow peddling arms to pinko commies...

Joe Carthy must be turning in his grave

1955 to 1975 trying to wipe Vietnam off the face of the planet

2016 kissing the "Commies" bottoms trying to flog them weapons

------------------------------------------

i am an American citizen....i spent 5 years in the U.S. Army in Vietnam.....and 3 years as a civilian also.

Since i retired to Tgailand in 2010 I have traveled to Vietnam 4 times .

1975 was over 40 years ago now....since the war ended in 1975 there is more than 2 geberations born in Vietnem.

Nearly half the current population of Ho Chi Minh City is under 50 yaers of age now, and therefore has no memory of the war.

On my last trip to Vietnam in April 2016 i sat next on a plane and talked to to a Vietnamese who was 22 years old and a University student in the University of Conneticut studying Mechcanical Engineeering there.

Times have changed in vietnam....learn to adjust to the new conditions.

i have.

Incidently, the 3 largest sellers of weapons ro other countries today are:

• The U.S.
• Russia (former Soviet union)
• And the European Union.....(of which the U.K. is still a part)

Edited May 23, 2016 by IMA_FARANG

[Pimay1]

Well, previously Vietnam had Monsanto's Agent Orange killing them, with the TPP they'll be back to finish the job with their GMO poisons. What better reason to sign up?

The US wants Vietnam as part of their China encirclement, so Obama is there to threaten and deal. Many of Thailand's problems will also disappear if they tow the line as well.

GMO poisons? I don't think so.

And the American Medical Association thinks genetically modified foods are OK. Part of an official statement notes that in almost 20 years, no clear impacts on human health have been reported or confirmed in professional journals.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/truth-about-gmos

[Koosdedooes]

Well, previously Vietnam had Monsanto's Agent Orange killing them, with the TPP they'll be back to finish the job with their GMO poisons. What better reason to sign up?

The US wants Vietnam as part of their China encirclement, so Obama is there to threaten and deal. Many of Thailand's problems will also disappear if they tow the line as well.

GMO poisons? I don't think so.

And the American Medical Association thinks genetically modified foods are OK. Part of an official statement notes that in almost 20 years, no clear impacts on human health have been reported or confirmed in professional journals.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/truth-about-gmos

Funny how 19 countries in Europe have banned them then innit ?

[Pimay1]

Well, previously Vietnam had Monsanto's Agent Orange killing them, with the TPP they'll be back to finish the job with their GMO poisons. What better reason to sign up?

The US wants Vietnam as part of their China encirclement, so Obama is there to threaten and deal. Many of Thailand's problems will also disappear if they tow the line as well.

GMO poisons? I don't think so.

And the American Medical Association thinks genetically modified foods are OK. Part of an official statement notes that in almost 20 years, no clear impacts on human health have been reported or confirmed in professional journals.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/truth-about-gmos

Funny how 19 countries in Europe have banned them then innit ?

Yes that is funny.

[Publicus]

Vietnam gets American trade deals and weapons.

Thailand gets Russian and Chinese trade deals and weapons.

I know where I would place my bet.

Place your bet in Las Vegas then on HRC getting elected Potus cause she is the odds-on favorite by odds of 1-3 or 75% probability of being elected. (Trump's odds are 9-4 or 30% probability so don't throw good money after bad.)

Thailand is a US formal mutual defense Treaty ally and it is is getting $1 million this year for defense improvements under the new law enacted this year by Congress called the Maritime Security Act which provides $425 million to SCS states over the next three years.

This year some $49 million will be distributed among SCS littoral states, with Philippines at $41 million getting the bulk of it, Vietnam this year gets $2 million, as does Malaysia and Indonesia. Other recipients over the several years will be Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore (and Taiwan). Beijing has btw always provided the bulk of rustbuckets ships of the Thai Navy thanks to the many decades of Chavalit The Corrupt.

One thus hopes your record in the stock markets is considerably better than in Vegas but one can also doubt it based on the evidence.

[zydeco]

Vietnam gets American trade deals and weapons.

Thailand gets Russian and Chinese trade deals and weapons.

I know where I would place my bet.

Place your bet in Las Vegas then on HRC getting elected Potus cause she is the odds-on favorite by odds of 1-3 or 75% probability of being elected. (Trump's odds are 9-4 or 30% probability so don't throw good money after bad.)

Thailand is a US formal mutual defense Treaty ally and it is is getting $1 million this year for defense improvements under the new law enacted this year by Congress called the Maritime Security Act which provides $425 million to SCS states over the next three years.

This year some $49 million will be distributed among SCS littoral states, with Philippines at $41 million getting the bulk of it, Vietnam this year gets $2 million, as does Malaysia and Indonesia. Other recipients over the several years will be Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore (and Taiwan). Beijing has btw always provided the bulk of rustbuckets ships of the Thai Navy thanks to the many decades of Chavalit The Corrupt.

One thus hopes your record in the stock markets is considerably better than in Vegas but one can also doubt it based on the evidence.

I suppose there must be some sort of point you are trying to make in that mangled mush.

[Credo]

How can Vietnam consider the ability to buy weapons from the US, who used those weapons to annihilate the country and murder it's citizens, an improvement of relations? That goes way beyond my understanding. If we where talking about trying to mend the past with help in any form, maybe that would be different. But weapons???

The Vietnamese are under no obligation to buy anything that they don't want. Lifting the embargo simply means they can buy them if they want. Not all military hardware is used for killing. Helicopters, for example, are used in a variety of non-combat situations.

[Pinot]

I was expecting the usual wingnut condemnation of Obama doing anything. The hate brigade has moved on to HRC, I guess.

I've been in Vietnam a few times both North and South. Vietnam has moved on from the war. What a tragedy America inflicted on that country. I challenge anyone to go to the Vietnam War Museum in Saigon and not be moved by what America did to Vietnam. What the world did to Vietnam. These are strong people and they deserved better.

There are challenges there. Corruption is rampant but I think they'll figure it out.

Vietnam will remain an independent country and they deserve American support.

[maingmoom]

I was expecting the usual wingnut condemnation of Obama doing anything. The hate brigade has moved on to HRC, I guess.

I've been in Vietnam a few times both North and South. Vietnam has moved on from the war. What a tragedy America inflicted on that country. I challenge anyone to go to the Vietnam War Museum in Saigon and not be moved by what America did to Vietnam. What the world did to Vietnam. These are strong people and they deserved better.

There are challenges there. Corruption is rampant but I think they'll figure it out.

Vietnam will remain an independent country and they deserve American support.

Could not agree with you more. Also not let us forget what the French also did to them.

[Publicus]

It is true Vietnam is doing a balancing act of the CCP in Beijing, Japan, India, Russia, USA. It is also increasingly evident Hanoi wants to move CCP Boyz in Beijing off and to the side. Hanoi can now be confident that in this pursuit it has the strong support of USA, India, Japan, Asean and no opposition from Russia.

Obama's visit to Vietnam boosts international cooperation

It is essential that the United States not only continue its patrol activities near the man-made islands to embody “freedom of navigation” on the basis of international law but also to establish a system to intensify pressure against China with countries concerned, including Vietnam.

In holding China in check in economic fields, the expansion in trade and investment between Vietnam and such countries as Japan and the United States through the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade accord will be helpful.

In April, Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers made a visit to a port on Cam Ranh Bay, a strategic point for Vietnam, facing the South China Sea. It is important for Japan to cooperate closely with the United States and promote defense exchange with Vietnam, including joint drills.

http://www.menafn.com/1094782789/Obamas-visit-to-Vietnam-boosts-international-cooperation

Japan, India, the US are presently conducting combined naval exercises in the SCS, in Philippine waters near Taiwan, and which will move north to the East Sea at Japan. As a part of the exercises, Japan and the Philippines are doing bilateral air and naval exercises at an undisclosed location believed to be in the area of the Scarborough Shoals which is the most strategic island group and which CCP Dictators in Beijing have in their sights as being next to occupy and militarise.

Japan is now more involved than ever as it yesterday and for the first time sent a recon plane across the SCS from the Phils to Malaysia. This is radical.

Edited May 25, 2016 by Publicus

[pegman]

I have been to Saigon and Detroit. The right side won. 1.3m dead for WHAT! Past time the Yanks paid reparations. Should start around $1t