As Ties Deepen, Elite US, Vietnam Forces Wait For Possible Opening

On his trip to Vietnam, President Obama lifted the arms embargo against Vietnam.

President Barack Obama speaks to young Vietnamese people during the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. (Photo: AP)

In what would be a major step in relations between militaries that were at war four-and-a-half decades ago, Special Operations forces from the United States and Vietnam are signalling a readiness to start forging ties, should their governments choose to do so.

Both of us would like to deepen the relationship but we’re also very mindful that we go at the same pace as our governments.

Rear Admiral Colin Kilrain, Head of US Special Operations Forces, Asia-Pacific 

Kilrain told Reuters that he met the commander from Vietnam’s elite forces on the sidelines of a conference in Tampa, Florida, this week.

Mending Ties? US Lifts Arms Embargo

The talks, came two days after US President Barack Obama ended the US arms embargo on Vietnam, during a visit to the country on Monday. Human rights advocates reacted to Obama’s decision with dismay, saying Washington’s decision to end the embargo tossed away a critical lever it might have used to spur political reform in the Communist-ruled state.

President Barack Obama (L) and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang shake hands at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam. (Photo: AP)

Obama’s trip to Vietnam, which borders China, underscored shared concerns about China’s growing military clout as Beijing aggressively advances sovereignty claims to the South China Sea.

Ready For Next Steps

We were both very encouraged by the positive meeting that President Obama had with the Vietnamese. And we wanted to go back and tell our chains of commands that ... we stand ready to take the next steps.

President Barack Obama speaking at the National Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam. (Photo: AP)

Still, Kilrain was emphatic that the extent and pace of any such contacts would be decided by their governments.

The US Navy has already taken important steps, carrying out four port visits last year, a spokesperson for the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet said. The head of US military forces in the Asia-Pacific earlier signalled to Congress, his desire to do more visits in 2016.

The United States has also contributed over $92 million since 1993 to help Vietnam address the threats posed by unexploded ordnance from the war and is supporting Vietnam’s development of a peacekeeping training centre near Hanoi, the White House said.

Kick-Starting Military Ties

Kilrain noted that when it came to kick-starting military ties, elite US Special Operations forces, which include everything from Navy SEALs to the Army’s elite Delta Force, are often some of the best options.

For us, because we’re light, we’re small and we can move quickly, we’re about re-establishing friendships and relationships. And we’re often the easiest ones to start with militarily. And I’m proud of that.

File photo of Vietnamese soldiers marching during a military parade in Hanoi. (Photo: AP)

Although he declined to speculate on first steps with Vietnam, Kilrain acknowledged the process usually started slowly, with planning conferences to share information about how their militaries were organised and discussions on human rights.

“So it’s somewhat benign and it’s not necessarily classic military-type training,” he said.

(This article has been published as a special arrangement with Reuters.)