Vietnam Plus Thirty
Thirty Years after the last American troops were pulled from Vietnam and that nation was united under a Communist government, and ten years after the normalization of relations between Vietnam and the US, a Prime Minister of the united Vietnam for the first time has made at visit to the US. The purpose of the visit is to seek support for Vietnamese membership in the WTO.
America is the number one trade partner of Vietnam. On the way to meet with President Bush, the PM stopped here in the Seattle area to discuss business with Boeing and Bill Gates. The two governments and the majority of their citizens seem to accept the fact that the Vietnam War is now part of history and life goes on.
But the 2004 Presidential campaign showed how intensely some Americans still feel that “we should have finished the job” in Vietnam. Hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese and 58,000 Americans had their lives “finished” in that conflict. Iraq is not Vietnam, though there are unfortunate similarities. A big difference between the two is that thirty years from now, we could still have troops stationed in Iraq
America is the number one trade partner of Vietnam. On the way to meet with President Bush, the PM stopped here in the Seattle area to discuss business with Boeing and Bill Gates. The two governments and the majority of their citizens seem to accept the fact that the Vietnam War is now part of history and life goes on.
But the 2004 Presidential campaign showed how intensely some Americans still feel that “we should have finished the job” in Vietnam. Hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese and 58,000 Americans had their lives “finished” in that conflict. Iraq is not Vietnam, though there are unfortunate similarities. A big difference between the two is that thirty years from now, we could still have troops stationed in Iraq
posted by Tom Blake | 5:09 PM
2 Comments:
Tom,
Speaking of times changing, why would a representative of Vietnam go to Seattle to talk to Boeing? Hasn't Boeing become a Chicago company?
John from Phoenix
Boeing moved its top offices to Chicago, one reason supposedly being that Chicago is a more central location for visits by foreign customers. However, the Commercial Airplane Division is still headquartered in Rentonand that is why the Vietnamese PM stopped in Renton, to seal the deal on the purchase of four 787 planes to be built in Renton, and to tour the factory.
Post a Comment
<< Home