Editorial by Khmerization
Prime Minister Hun Sen’s recent warning to the opposition parties not to use the U.S to counter his threats against them is a sign that Mr. Hun Sen is very wary of the U.S policy toward his iron-fist rule. His speech seem directed at Mr. Sam Rainsy in particular and Mr. Hun Sen knew full well that, compared to his bully against Prince Ranariddh, his attempts to intimidate Rainsy on many occasions did not work because Rainsy was brave enough to confront this sort of bullying tactics undeterred. As usual, when his bullying tactics did not yield any results, he turned to blame the U.S for being Rainsy’s backbone. (Read Hun Sen’s Speech Warning the Democrats).
The PM has a very valid point when he said that all the Cambodian leaders who followed the U.S are all dead and that he is not scared of the U.S, under the present circumstances. The PM is right. The U.S is too pre-occupied with the wars against global terrorism, in particular the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Cambodia’s problems, in particular in regard to protecting Hun Sen’s possible harm against Rainsy, are irrelevant to the present U.S policy. People should look at the house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma, the assassination of the Lebanese ex-PM, Rafiq Harriri, and the recent assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan as examples. What did the world and the U.S do to punish the culprits? And those named above are more high profile than Rainsy. I draw the lines here because I would like to make an analogy to the fact that, should Rainsy be jailed or assassinated, the U.S would not come to get Hun Sen.
By the same token, Mr. Hun Sen must not be so sure that his cordial relationships with other U.S leaders would guarantee him full immunity from any possible U.S actions against him. By showing his photo with President Bush, Mr. Hun Sen must not believe that people and the U.S are gullible enough to allow him to do whatever he wants against all democrats in Cambodia. Mr Hun Sen must look at the fates of all dictators around the world. The Panamanian dictator, General Manuel Noriega, was a close ally of the U.S., but when the U.S suspected that he was a drug trafficker, he was abusing the democrats and had turned against America, America did not hesitate to send the troops in to Panama in 1989 to capture him alive. The U.S later convicted him and sentenced him to nearly 20 years in jail.
Another high profile example would be Saddam Hussein. He was a long term ally of the U.S against Iran. At the end, the U.S sent the troops in to Iraq, captured Saddam and sentenced him to hang. Osama Bin Laden is another good case for Hun Sen to remember. Osama Bin Laden was a U.S ally in the war against the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s. In the 1990s Bin Laden turned against America and in 2001 he was suspected to be a mastermind of the attacks on World Trade Center in New York. Now Bin Laden has become America’s public enemy number one. These parallels are drawn so that we don’t have an international pariah or a Saddam Hun Sen in Cambodia.
Mr Hun Sen should also be mindful that all dictators are America’s enemy. His claims of being a good friend of American leaders are misleading. American leaders, like all leaders around the world, due to diplomatic protocol, are obliged to deal with all other leaders in the world, including Hun Sen. Mr. Hun Sen should not confuse this with diplomacy and protocol and makes a claim to being a darling of America. And by the look at the way he is running the country and maltreating the democrats, he must be mindful that he will not be immune to American policy of dealing with the dictators. //
“Mr. Hun Sen must not be so sure that his cordial relationships with other U.S leaders would guarantee him full immunity from any possible U.S actions against him. By showing his photo with President Bush, Mr. Hun Sen must not believe that people and the U.S are gullible enough to allow him to do whatever he wants against all democrats in Cambodia.”
Prime Minister Hun Sen’s recent warning to the opposition parties not to use the U.S to counter his threats against them is a sign that Mr. Hun Sen is very wary of the U.S policy toward his iron-fist rule. His speech seem directed at Mr. Sam Rainsy in particular and Mr. Hun Sen knew full well that, compared to his bully against Prince Ranariddh, his attempts to intimidate Rainsy on many occasions did not work because Rainsy was brave enough to confront this sort of bullying tactics undeterred. As usual, when his bullying tactics did not yield any results, he turned to blame the U.S for being Rainsy’s backbone. (Read Hun Sen’s Speech Warning the Democrats).
The PM has a very valid point when he said that all the Cambodian leaders who followed the U.S are all dead and that he is not scared of the U.S, under the present circumstances. The PM is right. The U.S is too pre-occupied with the wars against global terrorism, in particular the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Cambodia’s problems, in particular in regard to protecting Hun Sen’s possible harm against Rainsy, are irrelevant to the present U.S policy. People should look at the house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma, the assassination of the Lebanese ex-PM, Rafiq Harriri, and the recent assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan as examples. What did the world and the U.S do to punish the culprits? And those named above are more high profile than Rainsy. I draw the lines here because I would like to make an analogy to the fact that, should Rainsy be jailed or assassinated, the U.S would not come to get Hun Sen.
By the same token, Mr. Hun Sen must not be so sure that his cordial relationships with other U.S leaders would guarantee him full immunity from any possible U.S actions against him. By showing his photo with President Bush, Mr. Hun Sen must not believe that people and the U.S are gullible enough to allow him to do whatever he wants against all democrats in Cambodia. Mr Hun Sen must look at the fates of all dictators around the world. The Panamanian dictator, General Manuel Noriega, was a close ally of the U.S., but when the U.S suspected that he was a drug trafficker, he was abusing the democrats and had turned against America, America did not hesitate to send the troops in to Panama in 1989 to capture him alive. The U.S later convicted him and sentenced him to nearly 20 years in jail.
Another high profile example would be Saddam Hussein. He was a long term ally of the U.S against Iran. At the end, the U.S sent the troops in to Iraq, captured Saddam and sentenced him to hang. Osama Bin Laden is another good case for Hun Sen to remember. Osama Bin Laden was a U.S ally in the war against the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s. In the 1990s Bin Laden turned against America and in 2001 he was suspected to be a mastermind of the attacks on World Trade Center in New York. Now Bin Laden has become America’s public enemy number one. These parallels are drawn so that we don’t have an international pariah or a Saddam Hun Sen in Cambodia.
Mr Hun Sen should also be mindful that all dictators are America’s enemy. His claims of being a good friend of American leaders are misleading. American leaders, like all leaders around the world, due to diplomatic protocol, are obliged to deal with all other leaders in the world, including Hun Sen. Mr. Hun Sen should not confuse this with diplomacy and protocol and makes a claim to being a darling of America. And by the look at the way he is running the country and maltreating the democrats, he must be mindful that he will not be immune to American policy of dealing with the dictators. //
4 comments:
Dear Khmerization;
Personally, love to read your blog and your style of writing. However, there's something that indicate your are a stnning supporter of SRP, anti the current RGC and have discounted many facts about the progresses' Cambodia since the UN sponsored election in 1993.
Believed that you are Melbourne, home of the professor David Chadlers who wrote extensively about Cambodia and would sugget that you should read more to understand in depth of the situation in Cambodia in the past and present.
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There are a few questions related to the below sentences which doubtly you have full knowledge about the circumstances.
A - The PM has a very valid point when he said that all the Cambodian leaders who followed the U.S are all dead and that he is not scared of the U.S, under the present circumstances. The PM is right. The U.S is too pre-occupied with the wars against global terrorism, in particular the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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Personally think that the coup and the overthrown of Sangkum Reastr Niyum regime by Marshall Lon Nol is the biggest mistake of all time and it the beginning of the Cambodia Year Zero.
Personally think that Richard Nixon and his so called "Purely Nixon doactrine to help Cambodia to help themselves was nothing more than personal discontent and got square with the then Prince Norodom Sihanouk and the lost of Vietnam war and discounted the facts that its people [ 7 millions at the time] were the sufferers - Not Marshall Lon Nol who had been airlifted by the US and retired with handsome money until his death.
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You are fully aware and so does the world. that the war in Iraq is illegal and unmandated by the UN unlikely the war against terrorist in Afghan where amny countries involved - the US, Canada, Australia and NATO Etc.. to say a few.
In fact, US went into war in Iraq by itself and 2 other stunning allied - the UK and Australia and no one else except when the Japanese went in as non-combat troop but purely concentrate on reconstruction of Iraq and the Australian contigent are there to guard and support them.
Iraq war was based on inflated dossiers. Tony Bliar decided to call a quit at the high of his carrer because of tremendous pressure within the Westminster and within his own party and saw the withdrawal of Brithish from Basra and Iraq..
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The former PM "John Howard" was another one but was booted out by the people of Australia during last year election and Kevin Rudd who stood up to the US and told Bush that his troop would be pulling out sooner except in Afghan where is eligimate cause. It woi\uld not be long before you will be welcoming the Aussie troop home and in fact some of them was already back home to base in Darwin
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Cambodia’s problems, in particular in regard to protecting Hun Sen’s possible harm against Rainsy, are irrelevant to the present U.S policy. People should look at the house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma, the assassination of the Lebanese ex-PM, Rafiq Harriri, and the recent assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan as examples. What did the world and the U.S do to punish the culprits? And those named above are more high profile than Rainsy. draw the lines here because I would like to make an analogy to the fact that, should Rainsy be jailed or assassinated, the U.S would not come to get Hun Sen.
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1st of all, would draw your attention to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan.
The US is indeed need the support of Pakistan to fight war agaignst the insurgents in Iraq as well the Bin Laden group, who is said hidding along the border of Pakistan and Iraq and the disputed area of Cashmere.
Benazir Bhutto was indeed lived in exile in UK and citizen of UK, and during the time of her assasination her party did not ask US to involve in finding the truth but rather leave it to MI5 [ the British intelleligent to do so].
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People should look at the house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma.
Aung San Suu Kyi is another British citizen. Personally admired her stance and commitment for the people of Burma - willing to be under house-arrest then got out the country and ignore the plight of her people to attend the Nobel Peace Price and the funeral of her late husband which cannot see or existing in our opposition leader.
Burma a few month back looked into admending certain clauses of the constitution to refrain politician who is a foreign citizen to run for the office.
Must say that current PM of Cambodia is very open by allowing politicians and leader of political parties who are currently holding other nationality to run for the top job and lead Cambodia.
Don't you agree with that?
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the assassination of the Lebanese ex-PM.
US did point figure and single out that Syria is behind the assasiantion.
Lebanon is still crucial place for US to solve the Middle East problem and to safe guard its allies in the region such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia Etc.. in particular the Israel.
Why do you think that US secretary of state was in and out of Israel and Gaza Strip or Egypt or Saudi?
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Mr Hun Sen should also be mindful that all dictators are America’s enemy.
Would say that everyone is US enemy when they consider and put their interests and security of their country as utmost priority.
People of NZ can tell you that US is not happy with NZ when their PM refused US warship to dock in NZ.
US is not happy with China either but because China is economy super house, the US benefits from the economy in China and the China advance techno so US is unwilling to press on too hard.
Russia is now emerging back and US doesn't want to press on with any issue either.
Australia is stunning support of US but when it come to trade US has no good will or consider any allownace either.
These prove that US is about US interest [economy is utmost as every nation would be affected should US economy slumped] and security of its country.
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he must be mindful that he will not be immune to American policy of dealing with the dictators.
US policy is always shift to fit its inerest and security.
What US should be mindful that enemy today might be an ally tomorrow.
Hi Khmerization;
Thanks for accepting the comment
Thanks for your long analysis but I must say that I have no time to reply. Anyway, I have some reservations to what you wrote here but in general it is acceptable to my understanding.
Understand your time constraint and reservation re my comment.
Wish I can write like your good self.
If you have time, please drop in http://mediawatch-newstopia.blogspot.com/ and leave comment.
Thanks
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