Secretary Rice in Vietnam

"A tyrant... is always stirring up some war or other, in order that the people may require a leader." -- Plato - "The Republic" (c. 380 B.C.)

President Bush declared in Vietnam, "Mission Accomplished":-) Seriously though, it looks like our foreign policy has taken a lighter tone than the threatening one we had in the early years of the current administration. Secretary Rice has been accused of being a lightweight, but her statement about the value of foreign trade is indicative of what our foreign policy should be, free trade with all and alliance with none.

I quibble with one of her arguments, that Vietnam should open up to more religious freedom. Does she want Vietnam to allow Islam to be practiced in Vietnam? I doubt it. I suspect Secretary Rice, a devout Christian, is advocating for the right of Christian and Jewish religions to exist and be promoted in Vietnam. I suspect Vietnam and Chinese leaders see the harm religious beliefs, myths, and superstitions have done throughout history. They also are concerned about the conflicts in their neighbors; Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, that is caused by radical Islam.

Maybe it is time to take a look at the harm organized religion does to a culture. Religion, like sex, should be private. Religion should not be a tax exempt organization where charlatans and con men can hide.

Western philosophers have advocated privacy rights, and group rights. These group rights sometime conflict. When one group wants to impose their will on another group, such as religious groups, it may be time to restrict religious tolerance.

If there are hundreds of small religions then it is easy to be tolerant of other religions. But when one or two become dominate, they try to impose their dogma on others. Much like a large State tries to dominate others.

Bilbo Baggins

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Rice: Countries should follow Vietnam Sat Nov 18, 5:31 AM ET

North Korea and Myanmar should follow Vietnam's example in joining theinternational community and opening their economies to the rest of theworld, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Saturday. Rice, in a speech to business executives attending an annual Asia-Pacific economic conference, praised Vietnam for its success in reforming its economy and "overcoming the past" in seeking closer ties with the United States. Washington would like to work with North Korea and Myanmar, also known as Burma, but can't until their governments choose to abide by international norms, she said. "If the leaders of North Korea and Burma were to follow the example of Vietnam ... if they make the strategic choice and take the necessary steps to join the international community, it will open a new path of peace and opportunity," Rice said.

She accused the two governments of rejecting cooperation and "isolating their countries from the prosperity of the region.""Nothing will be better for the people of those countries than their integration into an international community that I can assure you would welcome them, too, to a future of hope and prosperity," she said. Rice said the U.S. would continue to raise concerns over issues such as Vietnam's human rights record and its limits on freedom of worship.