Sorry Trump, Cambodia owes the U.S. nothing

[geovalin]

by Philip J. Cunningham

Special To The Japan Times

 

 

ITHACA, NEW YORK – It’s the height of hypocrisy, arrogance and amoral audacity for the United States to demand Cambodia — target of one of the most brutal bombing campaigns in world history — to pay back war debt accrued by the pro-U.S. puppet regime in pre-1975 Phnom Penh, but it is very much in keeping with the hypocritical, arrogant and audaciously amoral tone in Washington these days. The $500 million bill that Uncle Sam has come knocking for is not small change, but it is a pittance compared to the destruction the U.S. wreaked on Cambodia by incessant B-52 bombing during the Vietnam War that left hundreds of thousands left dead in its wake, including countless children.

 

How does one even begin to recompense for a cratered land littered with lost lives? How does one account for the fact that U.S. President Richard Nixon, who ordered the invasion of Cambodia, and his right-hand man, National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger, who was the architect of the bombing, never saw a day in jail? Guilty of war crimes, the dynamic duo were not only not prosecuted but continue to be lauded as great men of American politics. Is there no justice with a capital “J”? Does the law only apply to the weak, badgered and unconnected? Must the bookkeeper’s ledger trump decency and common sense?

 

Cambodia is at peace now, a country that has come back to life from a chillingly real year zero, and the zombie years that followed. Its political system leaves much to be desired, in part because it still carries the scars of the intense cycles of violence set off by the indiscriminate U.S. bombing in the first place.

 

read more http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2017/03/23/commentary/world-commentary/sorry-trump-cambodia-owes-u-s-nothing/

[anon467367354]

Doesn't the US give Cambodia around 70 million USD every year?

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Another fake news article. The claim by the US pre dates the Trums presidency. Why then does the writer try to involve Trump? He never asked them to repay the loan, government/civil servants did. 

[spidermike007]

Just another example of foreign policy that has no forethought, no planning, no vision, no morality. This is the work of neophytes and morons. And he is cutting the state department budget by 37%, so he can fund another $60 billion for defense? What can one even say? On a daily basis, he is showing the world, and the American people how woefully unprepared he is for this job. The US was already on the decline before he took over. One can only hope he does not last the full four years. Personally, I do not see him lasting four years. 

[DGS1244]

2 hours ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

Another fake news article. The claim by the US pre dates the Trums presidency. Why then does the writer try to involve Trump? He never asked them to repay the loan, government/civil servants did. 

He doesn't, the name Trump not mentioned.

[Ramen087]

2 hours ago, DGS1244 said:

He doesn't, the name Trump not mentioned.

The headline or byline of the thread states... Sorry, Trump...  I believe the comment was referring to the forum member's thread topic line... not the author of the news report.

Edited March 24, 2017 by Ramen087

[fish monger]

On 3/23/2017 at 4:49 PM, geovalin said:

by Philip J. Cunningham

Special To The Japan Times

 

 

ITHACA, NEW YORK – It’s the height of hypocrisy, arrogance and amoral audacity for the United States to demand Cambodia — target of one of the most brutal bombing campaigns in world history — to pay back war debt accrued by the pro-U.S. puppet regime in pre-1975 Phnom Penh, but it is very much in keeping with the hypocritical, arrogant and audaciously amoral tone in Washington these days. The $500 million bill that Uncle Sam has come knocking for is not small change, but it is a pittance compared to the destruction the U.S. wreaked on Cambodia by incessant B-52 bombing during the Vietnam War that left hundreds of thousands left dead in its wake, including countless children.

 

How does one even begin to recompense for a cratered land littered with lost lives? How does one account for the fact that U.S. President Richard Nixon, who ordered the invasion of Cambodia, and his right-hand man, National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger, who was the architect of the bombing, never saw a day in jail? Guilty of war crimes, the dynamic duo were not only not prosecuted but continue to be lauded as great men of American politics. Is there no justice with a capital “J”? Does the law only apply to the weak, badgered and unconnected? Must the bookkeeper’s ledger trump decency and common sense?

 

Cambodia is at peace now, a country that has come back to life from a chillingly real year zero, and the zombie years that followed. Its political system leaves much to be desired, in part because it still carries the scars of the intense cycles of violence set off by the indiscriminate U.S. bombing in the first place.

 

read more http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2017/03/23/commentary/world-commentary/sorry-trump-cambodia-owes-u-s-nothing/

Thank you for posting your comment. Trump has never read a history book and knows even less about the Vietnam fiasco. I have seen the pain that still exists in the eyes of the Kmer, having lived there for some time. Pain not only from the Kmer Rouge, but from every American bomb that was ever dropped, and even those left as UXO's. Trump needs to take a walk through S/E Asia...WITH ME...! I'll show him how much Cambodia owes the USA....<deleted> SQUAT....!

[Ramen087]

Fish... you may want to check post number three. I believe the info. within is accurate.

[joecoolfrog]

4 hours ago, Ramen087 said:

Fish... you may want to check post number three. I believe the info. within is accurate.

 

4 hours ago, Ramen087 said:

Fish... you may want to check post number three. I believe the info. within is accurate.

Yeh but I would bet that he is spot on about Trumps knowledge of SE Asia. Mention Pol Pot and he would likely think you were discussing dinner . Whoever is responsible is a bloody fool , drags up events that the US would rather forget and any decent lawyer could probably counter sue for a great deal more.

Edited March 24, 2017 by joecoolfrog

[AgMech Cowboy]

11 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Just another example of foreign policy that has no forethought, no planning, no vision, no morality. This is the work of neophytes and morons. And he is cutting the state department budget by 37%, so he can fund another $60 billion for defense? What can one even say? On a daily basis, he is showing the world, and the American people how woefully unprepared he is for this job. The US was already on the decline before he took over. One can only hope he does not last the full four years. Personally, I do not see him lasting four years. 

You're too busy posting and don't spend enough time reading; otherwise, you might find this whole article to be just another smear job. 

 

"Since the elections of President Donald Trump, the Cambodian government has been urging Washington to cancel the debt, but the ambassador dismissed any plans to do so by the new administration."

 

Cambodia has brought the issue to the notice of the USA Ambassador. His response was to dismiss those request. Quite frankly this is an old issue. Cambodia have had the debt for a long time. The history is all bad, but you've all jumped on a band wagon to put it all on Trump.

[Ramen087]

8 hours ago, joecoolfrog said:

 

Yeh but I would bet that he is spot on about Trumps knowledge of SE Asia. Mention Pol Pot and he would likely think you were discussing dinner . Whoever is responsible is a bloody fool , drags up events that the US would rather forget and any decent lawyer could probably counter sue for a great deal more.

That is not related to my response or the topic of the thread.. There are plenty of Trump opinions within the TVF you can join on other threads. Please feel free to do that when it is thread topic related.  

[oxo1947]

8 hours ago, joecoolfrog said:

Yeh but I would bet that he is spot on about Trumps knowledge of SE Asia. Mention Pol Pot and he would likely think you were discussing dinner .

Do you think he can spell "Potato"----Quayle----- do you think he can quote lines like  " The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country." --G.Bush

 

OK then --its a quite a high bar , but think he must be a shoo in for the next great American president........

[Ramen087]

10 minutes ago, oxo1947 said:

Do you think he can spell "Potato"----Quayle----- do you think he can quote lines like  " The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country." --G.Bush

 

OK then --its a quite a high bar , but think he must be a shoo in for the next great American president........

[spidermike007]

7 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

You're too busy posting and don't spend enough time reading; otherwise, you might find this whole article to be just another smear job. 

 

"Since the elections of President Donald Trump, the Cambodian government has been urging Washington to cancel the debt, but the ambassador dismissed any plans to do so by the new administration."

 

Cambodia has brought the issue to the notice of the USA Ambassador. His response was to dismiss those request. Quite frankly this is an old issue. Cambodia have had the debt for a long time. The history is all bad, but you've all jumped on a band wagon to put it all on Trump.

 

It does look like it is legitimate debt. Money borrowed by the Kymer Rouge. And Hun Sen is moaning about paying it back? Was he not a top officer in that murderous regime? And now he claims they do not owe the money?

 

The 67-page report, “30 Years of Hun Sen: Violence, Repression, and Corruption in Cambodia,” chronicles Hun Sen’s career from being a Khmer Rouge commander in the 1970s to his present role as prime minister and head of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). The report details the violence, repression, and corruption that have characterized his rule under successive governments since 1985.

 

https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/01/13/cambodia-30-years-hun-sen-violence-repression

 

The loan started out as $274m in the 1970s, which the US says was used for food supplies, but Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has called it "dirty money" and said it was used to buy weapons.

Sen said the US had no right to demand repayment of a debt that was "blood-stained" from US bombing of Cambodian territory during the Vietnam war. 

 

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/03/anger-cambodia-50-year-debt-repaid-170313052712914.html

 

 

[smotherb]

19 hours ago, DGS1244 said:

He doesn't, the name Trump not mentioned.

Shh, the Trumpeters don't have to deal in fact; they have alternate facts supported by fake news--that is any news which contradicts them