The russians are leaving Cam Ranh Bay, Hanoi has been losing a lot of money on the deal , because it was made when the russian dollar was a lot higher and it had no inflation clause. We have lost Subic Bay, Japan wants us out and China as always is a threat. Seems to me that we will make every effort to get this base back now, we need it and if we don't lease it you know China will.

It's possible and it's up to the U.S to grab it.

BTW, China will never get the lease: Vietnam and China are arch enemy.

When I was in Korea in 91, there was talk back then of leasing it.  They didn't have much to say about it here in the states, but in the Pacific Rim what the US does is pretty important and newsworthy.  I think it will happen, but the two governments have to time it out right because of our mutual past.  They are probably waiting for most of the Vietnam vets to die off before leasing it.

The loss of Subic was strategically not that important.  While we don't forward deploy many ships now, we really don't need to right now either.  Singapore spent it's own money to enlargen it's port so it will accomadate US aircraft carriers if required, and I seem to remember another country that did something similar in the area.  I can't remember if it was thier port or airbase, but there's many countries in the Pacific that want the US presence to remain.  We are THE stabilizing factor there, and it allows a great deal of economic growth and prosperity throughout the area.  

Russian naval power is pretty much non-existant, and they never utilized the full capacity of CRB.  Vietnam and China fought a short war in the late 70s-early 80s IIRC.  They are not on friendly terms at all.  They downright hate each other.  As China grows as a threat to the US, you can bet the old "enemy of my enemy" deal will come into play.  

I would expect nothing about it for ten years though.  China poses no direct threat to us yet, and it will take that long for them to get strong enough to do so.  Also in ten years the legacy of the Vietnam war will have died down on both sides, and Vietnam itself will be interested in some help with China and expanding US trade.

Ross

Historically, they have fought for thousand of years.

It will not surprise me very much to see Indian Navy units making use of that base soon.  They Chi-Coms are always hassling India, and India at this point has a more effective Navy than the Chinese.  They have been doing joint Naval and Amphibious exercises with the Vietnamese.

I'd love to see the Commies out of power in Hanoi but I'd also love to see us back there with a naval and air base at CRB.

GunLvr

You are a smart guy mojo, that's lesson #1 "Never trust a commies".



Not just you, there are millions of South and North Vietnameses who want that to happen.

Even if we don't get it back, we will end up with the phillipines base.  It is of strategic importance and its due south of Taiwan.

Man these are interesting and very dangerous times.  China, Afghanistan, IRAN,IRAQ,PAKISTAN,INDIA,ISREAL, PALESTINE.Phillipines.  

India.........interesting thought.