Cambodia Appeals to Trump to Forgive War-Era Debt
Chhang Song was that Many, many people came to Phnom Penh from the countryside, so there was nobody to produce food,
By JULIA WALLACEAPRIL 2, 2017
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — During the Vietnam War, the United States lent hundreds of millions of dollars to Cambodia’s flailing government to feed
and clothe refugees — even as American B-52s drove many of those same people from their villages by carpet-bombing the countryside.
Cambodia Daily said that Oh, America and U.S. President Donald Trump, how can this be?
" Mr. Heidt said. that From time to time, for reasons I don’t think
that we really fully understand, the Cambodian government feels the need to publicly criticize the United States,
United States Embassy said that We lack the legal authority to write off debts for countries that are able but unwilling to pay,
Sophal Ear, an associate professor at Occidental College who studies Cambodian governance, said the issue "deflects attention from what’s happening now in Cambodia
and puts the limelight on Cambodia the victim." Others see Mr. Hun Sen as trying to play the United States off China, which has been pouring aid and investment into Cambodia.
" he said. that In fact, in international law they probably should pay it, because it’s a debt incurred by a previous regime,
but the point is the way these regimes changed hands and what they stood for makes it impossible,
Chhang Song was that Many, many people came to Phnom Penh from the countryside, so there was nobody to produce food,
By JULIA WALLACEAPRIL 2, 2017
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — During the Vietnam War, the United States lent hundreds of millions of dollars to Cambodia’s flailing government to feed
and clothe refugees — even as American B-52s drove many of those same people from their villages by carpet-bombing the countryside.
Cambodia Daily said that Oh, America and U.S. President Donald Trump, how can this be?
" Mr. Heidt said. that From time to time, for reasons I don’t think
that we really fully understand, the Cambodian government feels the need to publicly criticize the United States,
United States Embassy said that We lack the legal authority to write off debts for countries that are able but unwilling to pay,
Sophal Ear, an associate professor at Occidental College who studies Cambodian governance, said the issue "deflects attention from what’s happening now in Cambodia
and puts the limelight on Cambodia the victim." Others see Mr. Hun Sen as trying to play the United States off China, which has been pouring aid and investment into Cambodia.
" he said. that In fact, in international law they probably should pay it, because it’s a debt incurred by a previous regime,
but the point is the way these regimes changed hands and what they stood for makes it impossible,
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