Thread: Bush supports Vietnam in WTO (Supports Communism)

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtm ... ID=8852298
Bush supports Vietnam in WTO

By Tabassum Zakaria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush told Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai on Tuesday that he supports Vietnam's bid to join the World Trade Organization, in the first visit by the Vietnamese leader since the war.

Bush also said he would visit Vietnam in 2006, the year it plays host to the annual summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

"We talked about our desire for Vietnam to join the WTO," Bush told reporters in an Oval Office picture-taking session after their talks.

Vietnam has set a goal of joining the WTO at the trade organization's next ministerial meeting in December in Hong Kong. The U.S. Congress would have to vote on any deal to allow Vietnam to join the WTO, as it did with China in 2000.

Khai said his visit "shows that Vietnam-U.S. relations have in fact entered a new stage of development."

Chanting "VC (Viet Cong) go home" and "No money for Communists," about 100 Vietnamese exiles and a few American war veterans staged a raucous protest on Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House and could be heard in the Rose Garden as Bush met Khai.

As they flew the yellow and red-striped flag of former South Vietnam, they burned a Vietnam flag and hung a life-sized mannequin of communist revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh in effigy.

Bush and Khai had been expected to address U.S. concerns about human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam.

Bush made no mention of it in his Oval Office statement, except to note that "we signed a landmark agreement that will make it easier for people to worship freely in Vietnam." He gave no details.

Khai said he and Bush agreed that "there remain differences between our two countries due to the different conditions that we have, the different histories and cultures, but we also agreed that we should work together through a constructive dialogue based upon mutual respect to reduce those difficulties."

In the first visit by the leader of communist Vietnam to the United States since the Vietnam War, Bush and Khai also talked about efforts to account for Americans missing from the war. The two countries resumed ties a decade ago.

Bush said Khai told him his government was willing to find the remains of missing Americans, an issue of interest to many U.S. lawmakers.

"I remain deeply concerned that the government of Vietnam could be more forthcoming and transparent in providing the fullest accounting," Rep. Christopher Smith, a New Jersey Republican on the House International Relations Committee, said in a statement for a congressional hearing on Monday.

Since the United States and Vietnam restored diplomatic ties, two-way trade has risen to $6.4 billion in 2004 from $451 million in 1995. After a bilateral trade pact in 2001, the United States has emerged as Vietnam's key commercial partner.

Khai planned to meet Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to discuss improving security ties. Military relations have advanced cautiously but steadily in the past decade.

Khai told the Washington Post in an interview before leaving Hanoi that the two countries will announce Vietnam's modest new participation in the Pentagon's International Military Education and Training (IMET) program.

IMET provides funds for foreign military officers to attend senior defense colleges in America and to send U.S. training teams to other countries to provide guidance in military resources management and civilian-military affairs.

(Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Charles Aldinger and Paul Eckert)

© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.

I realize that this has nothing to do with immigration, but it does show the mind set of our political leaders. My uncle and several other family members fought in Vietnam. To welcome them with open arms is an insult for those who fought for the supposed liberation of Vietnam.

Originally Posted by jp_48504

I realize that this has nothing to do with immigration, but it does show the mind set of our political leaders. My uncle and several other family members fought in Vietnam. To welcome them with open arms is an insult for those who fought for the supposed liberation of Vietnam.

I totally agree JP. Absolute traitor and this just further proves it.

Khai said he and Bush agreed that "there remain differences between our two countries due to the different conditions that we have, the different histories and cultures, but we also agreed that we should work together through a constructive dialogue based upon mutual respect to reduce those difficulties."

What on God's green earth could possibly benefit this country by cozying up to "China Junior?" They will end up selling us cheap crap, taking more jobs, brutalizing their own people who disagree with the Viet-Com party line, and generally be of no earthly good to us in any possible way.

Globalism = Stupidity

I have seen products "Made in Vietnam" in some places. Probably some of the big box stores. We shouldnt be trading with them at all.

Originally Posted by dman1200

Originally Posted by jp_48504

I realize that this has nothing to do with immigration, but it does show the mind set of our political leaders. My uncle and several other family members fought in Vietnam. To welcome them with open arms is an insult for those who fought for the supposed liberation of Vietnam.

I totally agree JP. Absolute traitor and this just further proves it.

Right on point dman1200. This man will go down as the worst president in the history of the U.S., if there is a United States when he gets out of office.

Maybe Bush should next go to Cuba and kiss up to Fidel Castro.