Stephen Lendman

At a Monday joint press conference with Vietnam’s President Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi, Obama announced the full lifting of a 50-year-old arms embargo, saying:

“The United States is fully lifting the ban on the sale of military equipment to Vietnam…” In 2014, the embargo was partly lifted. Hanoi hasn’t bought US weapons. It wants restrictions entirely removed to more fully normalize relations.

Obama said decisions on weapons sales will be made on a case-by-case basis. China’s state news agency Xinhua commented, saying:

“Efforts for the improvement of U.S.-Vietnam ties should be driven by common pursuit to benefit the Asia-Pacific region while generating interests to both sides, rather than a one-sided, selfish agenda that would add risks to regional peace and stability.”

America “is motivated by an insincere agenda,” using nations as tool(s) to threaten or even damage the strategic interests of a third country.”

Obama’s visit is largely about using Vietnam to America’s advantage against China. He lied claiming otherwise.

US relations with Pacific Rim nations aim to isolate Beijing, heightening tensions, escalating the risk of direct confrontation, heading things almost inevitably toward eventual war.

Washington wants access to Cam Ranh Bay and Danang ports. Both were major US bases during years of Southeast Asian war. It wants Russian regional influence curtailed.

Vietnam allows its warships unlimited Cam Ranh Bay visits. Its aircraft have refueling rights. It provides 90% of Hanoi’s arms. Washington wants its own replacing them.

Obama’s Asia pivot aims to advance America’s military footprint aggressively - challenging China’s growing economic, political and military strength, along with checking Russia.

Beijing is increasingly concerned about Washington’s increasing militarization of the South China Sea - on the phony pretext of freedom of navigation.

Provocative US air and naval military patrols near Chinese territorial waters and airspace, along with joint exercises with area allies, increase regional tensions and instability.

Washington wants dominion over part of the world not its own. Eventual Sino-US confrontation seems inevitable.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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