Mr. Bush Goes to Vietnam

I don't know whether Vietnam is actually in the news more nowadays or I'm just starting to realize it because I'm getting more in touch with my roots, but I think it's pretty cool. From news stories detailing its economic growth to Congress debating over a trade bill with the country to President Bush's visit.

Although I'm still in the middle about reading all of the news stories about the President's visit, I've found some of the comments made during the trip quite interesting. All these speeches about learning from the mistakes from the Vietnam war, not quitting, and how freedom takes a long time. I wonder if it's ever run through Bush's head that this country has really come a long way since, and dare I speculate- because, the United States left. Or is that too obvious of a lesson?

Now before I get called a pinko, I will just add that I think Communism is bad, especially the means taken to get there. And I do realize that there's poverty and some religious persuction, and all that's bad too. But I think that Vietnam's natural progression to a capitalistic system and their economic growth is telling. Bush and I seem to agree that change does take time; I think where we differ is how much United States involvement in Iraq is necessary for that long-term change to take place. I don't think that we should pull all of our troops out tomorrow, but I do think a gradual withdrawal needs to happen. I think its not realistic to believe that a stable and peaceful democracy, our model of freedom, will transpire with US troops there. I know that there are some Vietnamese (like one of my aunts) who was mad that the US left, but there are others (like my dad) who thought the country was better off when they were forced to handle the problem themselves. As my dad, says, Iraq will only work if you let the Iraqis figure it out.

I will admit that foriegn politics was never my specialty and any idea of what we should do in Iraq is simply a civillian hypothesis, but I can see political spin, or at least political stretches, when it's there. And when you go to a quickly rising country and see their progress, maybe you should take a hint...even if you have to sit under a huge Ho Chi Minh head.