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U.S. Fully Lifts Vietnam Arms Embargo

Posted: May 24th, 2016

The United States has fully lifted its embargo on sales of lethal arms to Vietnam in what analysts say should be seen as a more political than substantive move.

The total removal of the decades-old ban came during President Barack Obama’s first trip to Hanoi and was widely hailed as a historic move that further normalizes relations between the two countries once embroiled in war. But experts say the decision to allow arms sales comes down to imparting a powerful — but mostly symbolic — message more than anything else. It’s a statement that clears away one of the last significant vestiges of the Vietnam War and showcases the bolstered ties between Washington and Hanoi, while at the same time sends a stronger message toward China as it aggressively asserts itself in the South China Sea.

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