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Cambodia's quixotic former king Sihanouk dies in B
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Centrix Vigilis View Drop Down
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Posts: 7392 		  Quote Centrix Vigilis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Cambodia's quixotic former king Sihanouk dies in B
    Posted: 15-Oct-2012 at 02:16
A complex and controversial figure...revered still by millions detested by an equal number. History is his judge far more then me but the Khmer Rouge stain is a difficult one to not recall.
 
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"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"

S. T. Friedman


Pilger's law: 'If it's been officially denied, then it's probably true'

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Posts: 1748 		  Quote Toltec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Oct-2012 at 04:21
He gave up the kingship after independence to get elected prime minister. Singapore sent a delegation to Cambodia to learn good governance from him. He stayed neutral when the Vietnam War broke out despite US pleas, because he predicted a Vietnamese victory and pointed out Cambodia would have to live with its neighbour long after the defeated Americans left. His country had a decent economy and things seemed to be going well.

But then it all went wrong. The CIA ousted him with a military coup, he went into the jungle leading a royalist democratic resistance. The US coup backfired dreadfully, the new military regime declared war on Vietnam, the army marched out to fight the NVA and were crushed in days, meaning Cambodia had to be protected by the US, so far from being vitally need help, were an extra burden. The rebels in the jungles, Democratic, Buddhist and Communist all got a boost, started winning and joined forces, the Khmer Rouge stabbing the other coalition partners in the back. TBy the time the Khmer Rouge won Silhanouk was only a figurehead which annoyed him, he wanted power. When Vietnam overthrew the Khmer Rouge he started a resistance against them to get power for himself. Then he made peace with Hun Sen, in hope of a little power and finally he resigned himself Hun Sen would never let him have any power and buggered off to China.

An interesting guy, actually not a bad ruler when he had power, just when it was taken from him he sold his soul to Satan, Loki, Acheron and Angra Mainyu one after the other to get it back.


Edited by Toltec - 15-Oct-2012 at 04:24
Stupidity got us into this mess, why can't it get us out?

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lirelou View Drop Down
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Posts: 528 		  Quote lirelou Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Oct-2012 at 23:53
While the CIA were certainly not unhappy to see Sihanouk overthrown, I do not believe that they were the ones who overthrew him. Other than that, Toltec, a pretty good summary. The fact is that a great many Cambodian nationalists were upset that so much of their country was under the control of the Vietnamese communists had a lot to do with that coup. It was no news to American planners that the Cambodian Army was incapable of defeating the NVA. Nevertheless, once the coup happened, they rushed to support it by forming the FANK project, which was a ridiculously small scale effort. 
The first troops transferred to the new Army of the Republic of Cambodia was the B-36 MIKE Force of the 5th Special Forces Group, which was all Khmer Serai, who quite possibly had been apprised of the pending coup before their American counterparts, along with several battalions of KKK (Khmer Kampuchea Krom - i.e., Monarchist) troops from both Special Forces and the ARVN Regional Forces. But these forces could not have been anything but a short term placebo. It's worth pointing out that Lon Nol had long been a Sihanouk Ally.

Now, it is always possible that a small Special Forces intelligence project nicknamed "Gamma" did have something to do with the coup, but in the end it was still a Cambodian effort. They were the ones who called the shots, and upon whose heads the responsibility for its failure lies.  
Phong trần mài một lưỡi gươm, Những loài giá áo túi cơm sá gì
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Posts: 7392 		  Quote Centrix Vigilis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Oct-2012 at 00:14
Originally posted by lirelou

While the CIA were certainly not unhappy to see Sihanouk overthrown, I do not believe that they were the ones who overthrew him. Other than that, Toltec, a pretty good summary. The fact is that a great many Cambodian nationalists were upset that so much of their country was under the control of the Vietnamese communists had a lot to do with that coup. It was no news to American planners that the Cambodian Army was incapable of defeating the NVA. Nevertheless, once the coup happened, they rushed to support it by forming the FANK project, which was a ridiculously small scale effort. 
The first troops transferred to the new Army of the Republic of Cambodia was the B-36 MIKE Force of the 5th Special Forces Group, which was all Khmer Serei, who quite possibly had been apprised of the pending coup before their American counterparts, along with several battalions of KKK (Khmer Kampuchea Krom - i.e., Monarchist) troops from both Special Forces and the ARVN Regional Forces. But these forces could not have been anything but a short term placebo. It's worth pointing out that Lon Nol had long been a Sihanouk Ally.

Now, it is always possible that a small Special Forces intelligence project nicknamed "Gamma" did have something to do with the coup, but in the end it was still a Cambodian effort. They were the ones who called the shots, and upon whose heads the responsibility for its failure lies.  
 
 
 
 
Good hit on ''Gamma'' LL. Not as well known as Phoenix... for the layman. And still not really discussed less 'smes' and aficionados of the conflict and intell types. Primarily because apparently according to the available sources-researchers; much remains classified. Following is an excellent synopsis of what's referred to as the The "Green Beret Affair": A Brief Introduction by it's author. ''Gamma'' is referred to in the article.
 
 
 
 
 
 
And with great appreciation I recognize Bob Seals the aforementioned author. His expertise and research in everything he has ever written is nearly peerless.
 
 

 
"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"

S. T. Friedman


Pilger's law: 'If it's been officially denied, then it's probably true'

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