Vietnam veers into unknown as career cop makes Communist Party power play

HO CHI MINH CITY -- Vietnam is wading into uncharted territory after losing its longest-ruling postwar leader before his anointment of a successor.

Foreign dignitaries descended on Hanoi last week for the state funeral of former Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the country's paramount leader, who died this month at age 80 after 13 years of iron-fisted rule.