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by ben0x539 939 days ago
After having become an expert on the incident from having skimmed half of the wikipedia article, I note that it mentions both Reagan considering his letter an apology and the US government not having made a formal apology, so I imagine there is some clever political distinction between the two.
1 comments
cies 939 days ago
There also has been no apology for US' use of agent orange in Vietnam, nor has there been a payment of compensation.

Why not formally apologize for such a fuck up (Iran aircraft), except for arrogance/exceptionalism?

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ben0x539 939 days ago
I guess because they think it doesn't benefit them and will make future diplomacy harder? I don't know if that falls under arrogance, but I also don't know how to ascribe comprehensible motivations to the state department or whoever is in charge of that.
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sitkack 939 days ago
The US is still pressuring Vietnam to “pay it back for the Vietnam war“.
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badcppdev 939 days ago
Interesting: " April 7, 1997

Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin and Vietnamese Finance Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung agreed today that Vietnam will repay the United States approximately $145 million in economic debts owed by the former Republic of Vietnam. "

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/rr1587

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