This day in history - April 28, 1970: Nixon authorizes the invasion of Cambodia

By R.K. Barry

On April 28, 1970, President Richard Nixon authorized American combat troops to invade Cambodia to engage approximately 40,000 troops of the People's Army of Vietman (North Vietnamese army) and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietman (NLF, also known as the Viet Cong) who occupied the eastern border regions of Cambodia.

A total of 13 major operations were conducted by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN or the South Vietnamese army) between April 29th and July 22nd and by U.S. forces between May 1st and June 30th.

The stated goal for the U.S. was to strengthen the position of the South Vietnamese army to enable it to carry on military operations on its own, after the withdrawal of the American military -- the so called "Vietnamization" process.

Some things never change.

In response to American military action, demonstrations erupted on American university campuses, with protestors expressing opposition to the expansion of the Vietnam War into another country. On May 4th, Ohio National Gaurdsmen shot and killed four unarmed students (two of whom were not protestors) during what became known as the Kent State shootings.

(Cross-posted to Lippmann's Ghost.)

MISS UNIVERSE CONTESTANTS IN VIETNAM

Miss Universe contestants (L-R) Elisa Najera of Mexico, Crystle Stewart of the U.S. and Samantha Tajik of Canada pose together in her swimwear in Nha Trang on July 4, 2008. The 57th annual Miss Universe pageant will be held in Vietman's central Nha Trang resort city on July 14, 2008


ELSE NAJERA-MEXICO


SUN LEE - KOREA


SATU TUOMISLO - FINLAND


SANTHA TAJIT - CANADA

VIETNAM CRACKS DOWN ON ILLEGAL HAMSTERS ?

HANOI (AFP) - Vietnam has launched a crackdown on hamsters, a wildly popular pet here in the current lunar Year of the Rat, fearing an influx of the foreign-bred rodent furballs could spread disease and destroy crops.

From next Monday, anyone possessing or trading hamsters faces stiff fines of up to 30 million dong (1,875 dollars), the Vietnam News daily reported, citing a new agriculture ministry directive to enforce a ban imposed last month.

The communist government aims to end a youth craze for the fast-breeding animals, which were previously only imported for scientific research, but which have now spawned online hamster forums and real-life hamster clubs.

One hamster owner, using the online name Kun89, informed fellow aficionados in an online forum: "Hamsters like to play acrobatic games. If they do not have enough toys to play with, they will suffer from stress and die."

Authorities worry that rampant sales of the fluffy pets will spike before International Women's Day on Saturday, a major annual gift-giving event here that Vietnamese husbands and boyfriends ignore at their peril.

Amid the stern warning, the state-run Vietnam News reported, the street price of hamsters, many smuggled from China and Thailand without licenses or quarantine checks, has already dropped from over 20 dollars to less than 10.

Despite fears that hamsters may spread disease in cities and devastate croplands, there are no plans for a mass cull, the report said.

"Destroying them all is really a big problem," agriculture ministry official Nguyen Thanh Son was quoted as saying. "I think the Vietnam animal health department should take some samples, conduct tests and see how dangerous the hamsters in Vietnam really are."