U.S. Senator, John McCain says United States Must Remove Lethal Weapons Embargo To Vietnam

[VALKRYIE]

McCain to Push Change on Vietnam Arms Embargo

By Aaron Mehta5 hours

Matt York, AP

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks to workers at MD Helicopters, Friday, May 30, 2014, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

SINGAPORE — The leadership of the Senate Armed Services Committee plans to introduce legislation next week to ease a decades long ban on selling weaponry to Vietnam, a decision that the committee's chairman said was directly linked to China's growing aggression in the Pacific.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., also called for the Pentagon to keep China away from this year's Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in response to a series of reclamation projects that has ignited controversy in the South China Sea.

Speaking Saturday at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogues in Singapore, McCain referred to China's actions as "a blatant violation of international law" and warned the nation is making a "serious mistake" that is driving other nations in the region towards alignment with the United States.

"Their actions have united the countries in the region in a way that was unheard of a short time ago," McCain told reporters, echoing comments made earlier in the week by US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.

One of those nations moving closer to the US is Vietnam. McCain cited "a strong desire for closer defense and economic cooperation" between the two nations.

"For our part, we'd like to set conditions for a gradual removal of our lethal arms embargo on Vietnam as soon as possible," he said in his opening comments, noting he and Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the committee, hoped to introduce legislation next week to begin that process.

It is not clear how McCain's language will differ from an executive decision made last October that paved the way for sales of lethal weapons for maritime security to Vietnam, but the Chairman pointedly said this decision was driven by regional concerns.

"We'd like to see them have greater capability, particularly in weapons that are defensive in nature, which would be used in case of a crisis situation between Vietnam and China," McCain said.

McCain to Push Change on Vietnam Arms Embargo

How ironic a POW from the VN war would say this. It looks like VN is getting closer to its goal.

 

[Viet]

great news. good for peace in the region.

 

[LacViet]

Mccain was captured in Vietnam in Vietnam war. He was our enemy in the past, but today he is our friend, best friend.

 

[KAL-EL]

Mccain was captured in Vietnam in Vietnam war. He was our enemy in the past, but today he is our friend, best friend.

Isn't it amazing how things can change over the years. It's good some people can change with the times and not be stuck in the past.

 

[Viet]

Isn't it amazing how things can change over the years. It's good some people can change with the times and not be stuck in the past.

my friend, well said, as for NOW, we need lethal weapons that can alter the balance of powers, and stop chinese aggression. otherwise, at the end of the day, our fishing vessels will no longer be able to travel to the open sea. we will be more dead than alive.

 

[xyxmt]

John McCain still suffering from Stockholm syndrome

 

[pher]

very good indeed, otherwise where we get the excuse and opportunity to pound vietnam back into stone age again, haha, everyone will be happy about this kind of news.

US throwing a bone, whole viets celebrate. this may explain why they have terriblely miserable life in the past 100 years, will continue into the next 100 years.

 

[Viet]

John McCain still suffering from Stockholm syndrome

whatever. from POW to a fan and supporter of vietnam.

 

[xyxmt]

whatever. from POW to a fan and supporter of vietnam.

that is called Stockholm Syndrome

 

[pher]

whatever. from POW to a fan and supporter of vietnam.

what you want to say? is because Mccain suddenly fall in love with vietnam by its attrctiveness or just want to using viets as cannon fodder by throwing it a bone?

you viets thinking is so naive, which may explain your miserable past, and will continure to extend into the future.

 

[70U63]

ok, i wait for them to deliver the weapon first... and reserve a seat to watch the fireworks.

 

[ArsalanKhan21]

Countries do not have friends only interests. The anti-China axis being created by US brings strange bedfellows. Now US will sell weapons to Vietnam that US bombed without impunity for more than 10 years.

 

[Viet]

what you want to say? is because Mccain suddenly fall in love with vietnam by its attrctiveness or just want to using viets as cannon fodder by throwing it a bone?

you viets thinking is so naive, which may explain your miserable past, and will continure to extend into the future.

cannon fodder? No
we don´t go to Syria to war, but fight our enemy at home. that is legitimate, isn´t it?

very good indeed, otherwise where we get the excuse and opportunity to pound vietnam back into stone age again, haha, everyone will be happy about this kind of news.

US throwing a bone, whole viets celebrate. this may explain why they have terriblely miserable life in the past 100 years, will continue into the next 100 years.

ha ha ha...I can sense your fear. come on. do you think you are invincible? do you think we won´t bomb china? what a delusion!

Countries do not have friends only interests. The anti-China axis being created by US brings strange bedfellows. Now US will sell weapons to Vietnam that US bombed without impunity for more than 10 years.

the US bombs Pakistan from time to time, too, isn´t it?

 

[pher]

cannon fodder? No
we don´t go to Syria to war, but fight our enemy at home. that is legitimate, isn´t it?


ha ha ha...I can sense your fear. come on. do you think you are invincible? do you think we won´t bomb china? what a delusion!


the US bombs Pakistan from time to time, too, isn´t it?

told you not hang around too much with indians.

you sense my fear or you delude yourself to sense my fear? trying think hard to make the diffirence.

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

my friend, well said, as for NOW, we need lethal weapons that can alter the balance of powers, and stop chinese aggression. otherwise, at the end of the day, our fishing vessels will no longer be able to travel to the open sea. we will be more dead than alive.

Are you viets saying that all weapons you possessed are not lethal all these times? it requires more than lethal weapons to challenge China, you need to have some gut. We Chinese will looking forward to have American's lethal weapons as collection and technology demonstrator when we dealing with Vietnam as we had collected Soviet's exotic weapons during the raid in 1979

And how you think that American's aid gonna alter the balance of power? we have overheming fire power and superiority either in Air, Lans and Sea...Vietnam will be like sushi that we can swallowed in single bite.