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Congressional Record—Senate S 10075 July 14, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE S 10075 of South Vietnam, he was placed under house tograph of the March 16, 1968, My Lai mas- Private visits and business relationships arrest for ``re-education'' when the com- sacre that shocked the conscience of Amer- are pushing the process along. Just this munist North captured Saigon in 1975. But ica adorns one wall. Other photos show the week, a Massachusetts trade delegation led later he emerged as the principal economic deforming effects of U.S. bombs and the defo- by Lt. Gov. Paul Cellucci is talking business adviser to the unified government, was al- liant Agent Orange on the women and chil- in VietnamÐbusiness that can create local lowed to set up an international manage- dren of Vietnam. jobs. And the U.S. already has opened a dip- ment and finance company, and eventually There are, of course, no similar photos of lomatic liaison office in Hanoi. became a millionaire again. the hurt and sorrow caused by the North Vi- The next logical step is to exchange am- ``I gambled (by not fleeing Vietnam), and I etnamese military. To the victor goes the bassadors, and there's little to be gained by won,'' he said. ``My message to American privilege of selecting which images of war's waiting. The sooner we open an embassy, the business is you can also win.'' hell go on public display. better we'll be positioned to expand trade, Still, most U.S. companies are cautious American planes, tanks, bombs and other investment and influence in this vibrant na- about investing in Vietnam right now. For war materials captured or abandoned promi- tion of 75 million. one thing, we do not have full diplomatic nently occupy the museum grounds and Vietnam is a young, eager and changing ties with the government. The 19-year Amer- viewing rooms. society which harbors no grudge against the ican embargo was lifted 15 months ago, and WHY WE LOST THE WAR United States despite our decade-long in- this has led to the opening of diplomatic liai- Such an impressive collection of modern- volvement in their civil war. That's over, as son offices in Hanoi and Washington. But day weaponry begs the question of how we far as most Vietnamese are concerned. And further thawing of relations could be delayed could lose a war against a lesser-armed that's the word from the top: ``We want to by the American presidential campaign. enemy. The answer comes into focus the close the past with America, and build coop- There are other concerns, tooÐtrademark next day during a trip to the famous Cu Chi eratively with you for a better future,'' Com- and patent protections, an uncertain legal tunnels. Communist North Vietnam used munist Party General Secretary Do Muoi re- environment, inadequate infrastructure, and narrow passagewaysÐjust 3 feet high and cently told a group of visiting American edi- rampant corruption among government offi- acrossÐto wage a relentless guerrilla war tors. The welcome mat is out and the timing is cials. Bribery is the best way to fast-track that baffled, enraged and ultimately de- fortuitous. Vietnam has launched a radical an application to do business in Vietnam. feated the U.S.-backed South Vietnamese economic development program that relaxes But American companies are prohibited by government. U.S. law from offering money or gifts in re- More than 100 miles of the underground restrictions on free enterprise and encour- turn for regulatory favors. network stretch from northwest to Saigon to ages state industries to be profitable. Politi- U.S. business interests, with an aggregate the Cambodian border and functioned as sub- cal change will surely follow. Vietnam, moreover, wants and needs outlay of $525 million per year, rank eighth terranean Viet Cong villagesÐwith kitchens, American know-how and investment in order among Vietnam's foreign investors. Taiwan dormitories, hospitals and command posts. is No. 1 at $2.5 billion. Hong Kong, Singapore, They were cleverly defended: Americans to modernize and raise living standards. This South Korea, Japan, Australia and Malaysia small enough to descend into them were is a process in which the United States, with rank ahead of us. often trap-doored to death over pits of razor- its sizable Vietnamese population and expe- All of which frustrates the Vietnamese sharp poles. rience in the region, should want to partici- leaders to no end. Burrowed three stories deep into rock-like pate. But we need to get going to make the ``We want to close the past with America, soil, the tunnels were the most bombed, most of the opportunity. American business and build cooperatively with you for a better gassed and defoliated section of Vietnam. ranks only eighth among foreign investors future,'' said Communist Party General Sec- Yet they withstood the heavy assault and there. Establishing full diplomatic ties retary Do Muoi during an interview of his serve as a monument to man over machine. would give U.S. companies greater support Hanoi headquarters, a lifesize bust of Ho Chi Gen Giap, the mastermind of the com- and confidence in doing business with Viet- Minh casting a shadow in the background. munist victories over the French and the nam. It also would put us in a better position ``Why can't you do that? Why does your Americans, said it was far more than tunnel to influence Vietnam's policies. government put up roadblocks? This is not soldiers that resulted in America's defeat in Normalizing relations does not mean aban- helpful to you or to usÐand we both know the only war it has ever lost. Resiliency, a doning our efforts to get as full an account- we need each other for economic oppor- history of nationalism and the will to win at ing as possible from Vietnam about Ameri- tunity.'' any cost were the real keys to victory, he cans still listed as missing from the war said. years. And, in fact, the Vietnamese are try- ATTITUDE CALLED WRONG-HEADED ``Our weapons were not as good as yours,'' ing to help us do that. They have no real rea- Muoi, considered Vietnam's shrewdest sen- the 84-year-old general said in an interview. son to detain Americans against their will or ior official, noted that the United States has ``But your human factor was not as good as withhold information about MIAs. been reluctant to normalize ties with Viet- ours. We had a popular patriotic cause; you Congressman Bill Richardson, D-N.M., for nam until more progress is made on account- had confusion over why you were in Viet- one, is convinced that's the case. He recently ing for the 1,648 American military listed as nam. We had patience; you wanted instant returned from Vietnam with more than 100 missing in action in Vietnam. victory.'' pages of material relating to American To him, and other Vietnamese leaders, this Now Vietnam is counting on that same MIAs, and found no traces of alleged under- is wrong-headed. purposeful spirit and unswerving focus to ground prisons or other places of detain- But the question persists: Are there any win its economic struggle. But no one really ment. He thinks it's time to normalize rela- still any American MIAs living in Vietnam? expects significant progress until the govern- tions. So does U.S. Secretary of State War- ``No,'' replied retired Gen. Nguyen Giap. ment invests billions of dollars in highways, ren Christopher. ``If there were, we would have turned them bridges, railroads, commercial port facili- So President Clinton should act nowÐand over to your government long ago. The war tiesÐand public education. avoid the risk of making recognition a polit- is over. We have no reason to hold anyone Five decades of war have left Vietnam with ical football in next year's election cam- against their will.'' a large unskilled labor force and growing il- paign. Hesitating can only work against our Furthermore, Muoi said, Vietnam has ``co- literacy. The population is exploding and the interests in the region, leaving other coun- operated completely'' with U.S. officials in school system is ill-equipped to respond. tries to gain from Vietnam's budding econ- searching for the remains of the MIAs, in- Even health care is a touch-and-go matter. omy at our expense. cluding turning over military records and As the deputy minister of education, Tran f digging up grave sites. Xuan Nhi, put it: ``We are learning the les- Vietnam, he said, long ago gave up looking sons of the free market, and one of those is GEORGE SELDES for its 300,000 missing soldiers. the need to train and educate our people so Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, George ``This is not entirely a humanitarian issue we can build our country into an industri- Seldes, who died Sunday in Vermont at with the United States,'' the 78-year-old alized society. The future will belong to the Muoi said. ``This is linked to politicsÐand educated.'' the age of 104, was literally, a Witness we are very sad about that.'' Like Miss Saigon 1995, who is driven by a to a CenturyÐthe title of his autobiog- To underscore his point, he mentions that passion ``to study and learn so I can make raphy. the United States had thousands of MIAs in more money and buy the things I want. OK?'' A true investigative reporter who re- Korea and World War II and ``no similar con- fused to accept the subtle pressures im- ditions were placed on diplomatic relations TIES THAT BIND US TO VIETNAM posed upon journalists by publishers, with Germany and Japan.'' Fifteen months ago, President Clinton lift- editors, and advertisersÐhe was un- Because of the MIA issue, Vietnam has ed the trade embargo against Vietnam.
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