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by cm2187 733 days ago
1979 was after the genocide and after Pol Pot was pushed out of power. Implying the US had something to do with the killing fields defies common sense. The khmer rouges were primarily China and North Vietnam backed.

Now the US did support some incompetent and corrupt militia in Cambodia to oppose the Khmer rouges, and those did their fair share of misdeeds, to the frustration of local US officers. But given the crimes the khmer rouges ended up committing, it is hard to argue that not opposing them was the morally superior position, even with hindsight.
2 comments
foobarqux 733 days ago
It's like saying the war in Iraq has no effect on the current situation there.
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cm2187 733 days ago
You mean like saying the US is the cause of the Shia-Sunni hatred?
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feedforward 732 days ago
> The khmer rouges were primarily China and North Vietnam backed.

Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1979 and China invaded Vietnam in 1979. What are you talking about?

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cm2187 732 days ago
In April 1975, the Khmer Rouge seized power in Cambodia, and in January 1976, Democratic Kampuchea was established. During the Cambodian genocide, the CCP was the main international patron of the Khmer Rouge, supplying "more than 15,000 military advisers" and most of its external aid.[82] It is estimated that at least 90% of the foreign aid to Khmer Rouge came from China, with 1975 alone seeing US$1 billion in interest-free economic and military aid and US$20 million gift, which was "the biggest aid ever given to any one country by China"

And if you read the article, north vietnam was their main backer before.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Rouge#1975%E2%80%931993

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