The New Domino Theory

The recent visit to Vietnam by President Bush and the way American political parties are dealing with America’s old enemy are rich in irony. Four decades ago the US sent hundreds of thousands of troops and spent billions of dollars in Vietnam with the goal of preventing the country from falling like a domino in the Moscow-led Communist camp. But Soviet Communism collapsed and Vietnam adopted a capitalist economic system. Since normalization of its relations with the US, Vietnam has been increasing its export to the country. This conversion to capitalist method by the Vietnamese now seems to be posing problem for US politicians. On the eve of Bush’s departure for Hanoi, the Republican leaders in the Congress withdrew the bill that would have given Vietnam permanent normal trading partner status. Former Secretary of Labor under Clinton Presidency, Robert Reich wonders if America is “on the brink of a new Cold War – with the enemy this time not global communism but global capitalism.” – YaleGlobal