Clinton and VietNam

[GaryM]

I just received the e-mail, which is included in part below, and think it smacks of UL to me. I searched the SDMB and looked at About.com, but did not have any success.

"President Clinton reportedly plans to visit China and Vietnam before the end of his term, and, according to high-ranking Navy officers, the commander-in-chief will alter long-standing naval regulations to allow the American flag to fly below that of Vietnam when he sails into the communist nation's territorial waters on a US Navy ship.

Highly placed Navy sources who spoke on condition of anonymity believe this action on the president's part would further devastate already tenuous Navy morale. As part of his swan song, Clinton reportedly intends to visit two ports aboard Naval vessels.

Trip one takes him to the People's Republic of China, which has a regulation that no war ship of any country may enter its territorial waters flying a flag higher than that of the People's Republic of China. According to one Navy source, China and the US have effected a compromise whereby both flags-the US and the PRC-will be flown from US naval vessels at the same height. But visceral outrage is resulting from a proposed change to Navy regulations that would result in the American flag being displayed subordinate to the flag of Vietnam."

The e-mail continues on in the same vein for a few more paragraphs. I'll be glad to email the full text if desired.

Any ideas of it's validity?

[kunilou]

1. Why would Clinton take a Navy ship when he could fly there on Air Force One?

2. Every country demands that it's flag be flown highest. The regular solution is to fly all flags at equal height. Look at the United Nations Plaza or any embassy or consulate.

[starfish]

It is typically an act of war when another country puts their flag on one of our ships, so the email is an attempt to make people mad at Clinton.

No matter what you think of Clinton, you have to admit that he LIKES being head of the most powerful nation on earth. He is not going to let someone top him.

[GaryM]

I guess I should have asked an additional question or two:

Does a US warship normally fly the other countries flag when visiting one of their ports?

The UN is, I think, not considered U.S. territory, while a embassy or consulate is considered as belonging to the occupier. Is this true of a U.S. warship too?

[tomndebb]

When any ship visits another country, the host country's flag is flown as a courtesy. However, the location of the courtesy flag and the flag of the country of the ship are not even in the same location. One does not fly either flag above or below the other. There are specific protocols involving the location of each flag on any ship, specifically to avoid this sort of issue.

The idea that Clinton would take the time to personally change protocol (for the sole purpose of irritating the ship's crew and the folks back home, since Vietnam would expect normal protocol to be followed) sounds like a UL.

More likely, as part of his visit he intends to apologize for past actions by the U.S. and, since that will rile some people, but not anger people who think we should apologize, this story has been floated with the intent to get everyone upset.

[Arjuna34]

This has been debunked on snopes, but I don't seem to be having much luck with their search engine lately ... I can't find it.

Arjuna34

[GaryM]

Thanks for the input. I did not check Snopes earlier, but will poke around there now.

[tomas]

As usual, tomndebb responds with pure fact and reason, I vote to elect tomndebb as Secretary of State for either of the bozo's that should happen to prevail.

[GaryM]

The "Military Matters" column in today's St. Louis Post Dispatch addrsses my OP. Agrees with tomndebb, Cmdr. Matt Brown of the 7th Fleet in Hawaii, says: "When a US Navy ship steams into a foreign port, the American flag is flown from the starboard halyard (the position of honor), and the host nation flag is flown from the port halyard."

Also adds that the National Security Council says that if he visits he'll arrive via AirForce One.

Thanks for the input.