The situation within the Communist Party is chaotic, the entire Politburo is feeling the danger that former police chief and incumbent party’s chief To Lam is imposing on them.
The anti-corruption campaign or “furnace” is still burning, however, the goal of the “furnace” at this time is very different from when Nguyen Phu Trong was in power. During Trong’s time, senior leaders from the Nghe An and Ha Tinh groups were relatively safe. Now, under Lam’s leadership, even though they are the faction with the advantage in the number of Central Committee, they are still powerless against a winning Lam.
Mao Zedong once declared that “political power comes from the barrel of a gun.” Now, former Minister of Public Security Lam has been applying this effectively. However, in wartime, the barrel of a gun is carried out by the army; in peacetime, this barrel belongs to the police. The barrel of the army’s gun is rigid and inflexible, while the barrel of the police’s gun is more flexible. Because the police mainly use guns to threaten, they rarely actually fire. But in peacetime, just by threatening, officials turn pale and obey orders.
It is unclear whether the military has learned any lessons from Lam’s path to power? In fact, Lam has built up a solid power, from the base up and over many years. When he was still weak, he hid his dagger, pretending to be an obedient subordinate, when he was strong enough, he unleashed his strength, making a surprise attack to seize power.
Lam came from a police family, when carrying out his duties to the people, he appeared to be arrogant, militaristic, not needing the law, not needing reason, etc…. But with his superiors, he accepted to be not in upper side, that is, accepting the status of a subordinate, suffering humiliation on behalf of his master, to gain favor.
The fact that he led his troops all the way to Europe, to kidnap Trinh Xuan Thanh, is a typical example of being devoted to his master and suffering humiliation on behalf of his master. Because of that action, he was considered a criminal by the German and Slovak governments.
However, thanks to that, he was trusted by Trong and given more power. Under Trong, Lam was guaranteed the position of Minister of Public Security, no one could compete. Thanks to that, he turned the ministry into the Ministry of Hung Yen, with a series of juniors from Hung Yen being promoted and holding key positions. At the same time, thanks to holding the police forces, he had the personnel to rebuild the Secretariat later.
Looking back at the military generals, it is clear that they are more rigid and less flexible than Lam. During the 13 years that Trong was General Secretary, through the terms of Defense Ministers such as Phung Quang Thanh, Ngo Xuan Lich and Phan Van Giang, non of them was willing to be a devoted junior to Trong. At the same time, no one was able to build a solid network of followers in the military, as Lam did in the police. The generations of Defense Ministers have not been able to control the entire system and departments in the army.
Accepting orders, but in return, being protected, ensuring a position of power. After more than one term, when the force in hand was strong enough, and Trong’s health was weak, Lam suddenly rebelled. The folk saying “feeding the army for 3 years, using the army for 1 day” can accurately describe the way Lam did. He even fed the officials for 8 years, through nearly 2 terms, before usurping the throne.
Currently, General Giang shows that he is very likely to repeat the mistake of his predecessor – General Lich, that is, serving as minister for one term and then withdrawing. Under Minister Giang, the army still had many factions fighting each other, so it was difficult him to gather the strength of the army.
The way Lam did it is a lesson for General Giang, and his successor. The military faction needs to join a “Four Pillars” to be protected, and thanks to that, the “Four Pillars” will also become stable.
To gain power with Lam, it is impossible not to learn how he succeeded.
Tran Chuong – Thoibao.de
