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Southeast Asia
Vietnamese officials visit USS George Washington
2011-08-15
ABOARD THE USS GEORGE WASHINGTON: Less than a week after China launched its first aircraft carrier, the US has showed off its own big-boy supercarrier to former enemy Vietnam. The visit comes as smaller Asian nations become more jittery amid BeijingÂ’s burgeoning maritime ambitions.
Rather amazing when you think about it. Nothing like a nasty neighbor to make a country to turn to a former enemy. Too bad Kissinger never thought to try this.
A delegation of Vietnamese military and government officials was treated to a tour aboard the USS George Washington nuclear carrier this weekend. They flew out to the vessel, which was off the coast of southern Vietnam — once home to the US-backed capital of South Vietnam during the brutal Vietnam War.

ItÂ’s the second such visit to the US NavyÂ’s carrier in as many years and a symbol of the former foesÂ’ warming military ties. But SaturdayÂ’s visit also came amid heated tensions between China and its Asian neighbors.
Posted by:Steve White

#11  ION WORLD MIL FORUM > VIETNAM PLANS TO PURCHASE SEVERAL SETS OF RUSSIAN-MADE "FORTRESS" SHORE-TO-SHIP ASBMS + SUPPORT SYSTEMS.

versus

* SAME > PHILIPPINE MILITARY OFFICIAL: CHINA'S SUCCESSFUL OPERATION OF ITS NEWLY REFURBISHED "VARYAG" TRAINING CARRIER [CVT] MAKES THE PHILIPPINES' ACQUISITION OF EX-"HAMILTON" CLASS US VESSELS "LOOK LIKE A [small] BOAT" IN COMPARISON.

* SAME > EXPERTS: CHINA'S "VARYAG" AIRCRAFT CARRIER ASSURES CHINA'S DOMINATION OF THE SPRATLY + PARACEL ISLANDS, + SOUTH CHINA SEA VEE SOVEREIGNTY CLAIMS OF THE PHILIPPINES + VIETNAM [ASEAN] Nations].

* PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > UK SELLING CARRIER [HMS Ark Royal] FOR L$3.50 MILYUHN POUNDS.

> TYPE 22 FRIGATES = go for L$300,000 Pounds.
> DESTROYERS = go for L$1.0Milyuhn Pounds.

Not sure at this time why a RN Type 22 FF is worth much less than a DD, but thats what the Artic said.

* CHINA DAILY FORUM > OVER THE SPRATLYS, CHINA HAS AIR [ + Naval] SUPERIORITY.

Vietnam is Vietnam, the Philippines is the Philippines, + NEITHER'S PROBS, I.E. NATIONAL MILPOL, ECON STRENGTHS OR WEAKNESSES, IS CHINA'S.

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

OTOH PEOPLE'S DAILY FORUM > MOODY'S SEES HALF-A-TRILYUHN OR MORE IN US DEFENSE BUDGET CUTS, as per the new US Budget Control Act signed by POTUS Obama on 08/2/2011.

* SAME > MOODY'S RAISES "RED FLAGS" FOR US DEFENSE SECTOR INVESTORS.

ARTIC = US Budget Control Act of 2011 puts the USDOD squarely at the center of any real or nominal US $$$ cutbacks as per Deficits + LT Spending solutions.

* CHINA DAILY FORUM > VPOTUS BIDEN SEEKS STRONG CHINA TIES UNDER SHADOW OF DEBT.

ENJOY THE MIGHTY NIMITZ-CLASS WHILE YOU STILL CAN, VIETNAM + AMERIKA, WHILE THE US-WORLD IS STILL IN 2011, NOT 2013 or 2040!
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2011-08-15 23:16  

#10  Cam Rahn Bay would be useful now that Subic Bay is gone; and the Vietnamese are exporting everything they can to the US, and inviting back all of the Vietnamese that left the country when the Communists took over. Plus, since the area that the Vietnamese will most likely be fighting the Chinese in is mainly jungle-covered mountains and the open bay next to Hanoi, the Vietnamese could be sold a lot of the older US military surplus and it would work well in those conditions.
Posted by: Shieldwolf   2011-08-15 18:24  

#9  I had an Asian studies professor predict in the late 90's that the U.S. would one day have bases in Vietnam.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge    2011-08-15 13:54  

#8  Chimericawar.org argues that Vietnam will be objective number 1 in China's drive to regain its historical boundaries.

Note that when I say "objective number 1", I don't mean "most important objective". What I mean is that for political and tactical reasons, Vietnam is merely the first item on a long checklist.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2011-08-15 13:38  

#7  Enemy of my Enemy, who used to be my Enemy, is my Friend.
Posted by: Griting Smith6978   2011-08-15 10:31  

#6  The Vietnamese are hoping that Uncle Sucker will get involved when the Chinese finally test-drive their shiny new weaponry on them. Chimericawar.org argues that Vietnam will be objective number 1 in China's drive to regain its historical boundaries.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2011-08-15 07:56  

#5  It already is.
Posted by: Shakey Steve   2011-08-15 06:09  

#4  If everybody is not careful Vancouver real estate could get very expensive.
Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division   2011-08-15 05:49  

#3  Almost all of Vietnam north of the old DMZ was part of a Chinese-led kingdom several hundred years ago, and the Chinese have been making noises about that sector being part of the 'lost' sections of China like they did with Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet, the chunk of India that they took, and Taiwan. Plus, the Chinese are claiming all of the Spratley Islands, including those that traditionally have been considered Vietnamese. The reason for the Islands' claim is that there is the possibility of an oil field larger than that in the North Sea under them.
Posted by: Shieldwolf   2011-08-15 01:07  

#2  I think they have good reason. The Chinese have been eyeing Vietnam for history, they tout a major win back in the days of swords and most recently in the late 70's when, IIUC correctly in a nutshell, the Chinese thought Vietnam owed them something and the Vietnamese told them to piss off.

I'm sure if the olde guard, if they would speak in honest, would point out in general the firepower, spirit, and humanity of the US forces.

I guess the Vietnamese are Vietnamese before they are communists. Bit of a thumb in the eye of internationalist theory IMHO.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2011-08-15 00:36  

#1  I remember reading some of the Navy carrier pilot POWs commenting that their interrogators usually demanded to know where all the livestock were kept on the carriers.
Wonder if they went looking around for them?
Posted by: tu3031   2011-08-15 00:19  

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