==We are clearly posturing to try and find more help in containing Red China
I disagree. The Red Chinese love it. They are for any and all Communist inroads into the rapidly diminishing land of the free. Indeed, the visit was no doubt coordinated with the Red Chinese. Yet one more Communist dictatorship that will use western largess (and stupidity) to bolster World Revolution.
As it is, I agree that us courting Communists is disasterous in any case and thus my very bad feeling about it. Could be a trojan horse.
Actually the Chinese hate it. The Chinese have nearly 300,000 men along the border with Vietnam that are always in a combat configuration that corresponds to the level we keep our 38,000 men in Korea. Thats a huge and very expensive effort. Interestingly the Vietnamese forces on the south side of the border are very modest. CLearly the CHinese fear Vietnam.
China and the Indo-Chinese have an automatic antipathy that goes back thousands of years and communism or no a collective racial memories are tough to overcome with a few slogans.
What is happening is similar to the way we hemmed in the SOviets in the 50's. Afghanistan, Pakistan (sort of), India, and Japan have already more or less signed on to the concept. Add in Russian fears of the Chinese and a reapproachment with the Vietnamese makes sense.
Still although I understand it, I don't like it. I served three tours in Nam and lost many friends to the commies there. That war would have turned out differently if the Durbin's and Hillary's of that time hadn't been there to side with the communists. Its probably a sound strategy and the main point is to defend freedom with the best tools available.