Vietnam: Don't tie US weapons sales to human rights issues - your thoughts?

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 08:38:15 -0400

Asked if the human rights issue should play a role in the U.S. military relationship with Vietnam, Carter would only say that U.S. officials routinely have "very candid" discussions on political and internal issues with Vietnamese leaders, and said those issues intersect with security matters.

http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/vietnam-don-t-tie-us-weapons-sales-to-human-rights-issues-1.349884

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 1 at 2015 8:45 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 08:45:06 -0400

Aside from the obvious history we have with Vietnam...
The calculus is clearly that we want to butress a perimeter around Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea. We have a long history of doing business with shady characters because it was in our national interest to do so.
In this case, there is opportunity to have a dialogue with the Vietnamese to perhaps influence behavior due to our newfound mutual interests. But drawing a line in the sand and making it arms sales conditional is likely to make them balk or us to have to make good on a threat to cut them off. This is not what friends do. If you want to be "friends" with Vietnam, it has to be founded on mutual interests first, then mutual respect as the relationship grows.
We are not there yet.
Right now it is more of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" kind of deal.