Thinking About China. . . another link to add to the pile.
https://www.principles.com/the-chang...rder/#chapter5
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Thinking About China. . . another link to add to the pile.
https://www.principles.com/the-chang...rder/#chapter5
A view from Germany. . . put it in the corner with the others
https://www.dw.com/en/taiwan-the-thr...res/a-54944934
Donald Trump’s lonely victory in the Middle East
https://asiatimes.com/2020/09/donald-trumps-lonely-victory-in-the-middle-east/
"The US president has trampled over the conventional wisdom of the whole foreign policy establishment..."
This article attempts to adroitly explain the untangling of the Middle East cornucopia, attributing the victory to Trump.
While he may be the figurehead, clearly he personally doesn't have the wit or the machiavellian abilities to process damn near anything of substance,
the victory perhaps belongs to Jarad Kushner and his team.
Nonetheless, this article neatly untangles a swath of historical and current complexities and illustrates Trump's lucky victory of near & future outcomes.
Worth reading twice as a history lesson also - fills a lot of gaps in geopolitical understanding...
There are plenty of opinions around. Here's another one, with some background reasoning for the opinion;
https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion...-warmonger-far
"The report calculates that the US “‘war on terror’” since the September 11 attacks has cost not only millions of lives and injuries, but also forcibly displaced
at least 37 million people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, the Philippines, Libya and Syria: “The US military has waged war continuously for
almost two decades,” it said.
“US forces have fought in wars or participated in other combat operations in at least 24 countries. The destruction inflicted by warfare in these countries has been incalculable for civilians and combatants, for US military personnel and their family members, and for entire societies.” ........................
"Whatever Pompeo and his colleagues say about China’s warmongering ambitions, it is again the US that leads the world by far in defence spending.
Of the global total of US$1.92 trillion last year, the US accounted for 38 per cent"...........................
“We have met the enemy, and he is us”.
Today, it is no joke.If hot war is indeed an existential threat, then there is likely to be only one source – and it is not China."
For me personally, the following rang true:
For Wu (the Foreign Minister), it is in the democratic world's own interests to support Taiwan against China's aggression — before it is too late. "They are trying to export the authoritarian international order while democracies are following the rule-based international order," he said. "If China succeeds in taking Taiwan over — I think the rest of the world, especially for democracies, is going to feel the heat. China is expanding outward. Taiwan happens to be on the front line."
Japan’s new defense minister a blast from the past
Pacifism is giving way to collective defense and a first-strike capability
https://asiatimes.com/2020/09/japans-new-defense-minister-a-blast-from-the-past/
"Japan has been pacifist and democratic for 75 years and received nothing but abuse from Koreans and Chinese the entire time.
There has been no appreciation for not attacking anyone (China attacked Vietnam in 1979),
not establishing a dictatorship, not sending troops to help the Americans butcher Vietnamese
(South Korean troops were renowned for their ferocity during the Vietnam War).
There have been endless complaints that Japan’s apologies are insincere, that Japan
remains a warmonger at heart and, from the Americans, that Japan is not pulling its weight militarily."
"Blast from the past". Exactly. The new Cabinet is a bunch ancient dinosaurs that should have been put out
to pasture a couple of decades ago. If they had a clue on how to revive Japan's stagnating economy it would
be showing signs of an improvement by now.
https://asiatimes.com/2020/09/sugas-...-a-new-bottle/
https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion...n-china-and-us
Japan will continue to stumble along, brown nosing America, and spending all their treasure on weaponry.
Apart from media; Hollywood, Nettricks, Fakebook: America's main exports are violence, and the means to prosecute violence, and Japan is playing that game.
https://www.reuters.com/places/japan...-idUSKBN1YO05N
Ren Zhiqiang - who called Chinese president a 'clown' - jailed for 18 years
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...d-for-18-years
This man should have been supported for his free-speech rights, but Oh No, not under China's CCP!
That's the core of the problem - that the CCP can't handle criticism of any kind whatsoever and that will be
why China's backward regime will one day soon crumple under the weight of its own lies and inherent weakness...
Shall we start a new pile for Turkey, or just biff it in the corner with the other non-China stuff?
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/columns...key-do-2047598
"US-led coalition encircling China’s sea ambitions" by Richard Javad Heydarian
US engaging likeminded partners in anti-sub warfare while European allies pledge to counter China in the South China Sea
https://asiatimes.com/2020/09/us-led...sea-ambitions/
“China’s existence is indeed aggressive and will bring a definite threat,” responded Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. “I believe these activities are no help to China’s international image, and what’s more have put Taiwan’s people even more on their guard.”
Tsai said recent provocations have helped foreign nations in “understanding even better the true nature of the Chinese communist regime.”
The USA play book is rather thin. Another replay of the Persian Gulf 'Operation Earnest Will"
coming up?
https://asiatimes.com/2020/09/pompeo...-persian-gulf/
Australia as collateral damage vs NZ's smarter game...food for thought...
Morrison digging a grave for Australia
By yielding to US pressure to antagonize China, Australia risks being buried alive
https://asiatimes.com/2020/09/morris...for-australia/
Perhaps this time, Duterte has finally figured out who he wants to side with...!
"Philippines' Duterte gets tough on China in shift back toward U.S."
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...erte-china-us/
Indonesia president warns over super-power tensions in U.N. address
https://www.reuters.com/article/un-a...-idUSKCN26E0GP
Jokowi said the coronavirus pandemic was a time for global unity.
“What we see, instead, is one of deep division and growing rivalries,” he said.
“If division and rivalries continue to persist, then I am concerned that the pillars of stability and sustainable peace will crumble or even (be) destroyed.”
Start at the bottom and work your way up?
https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/202...ncerns/168749/
Resembling something closer to the truth concerning the US and its total failings since Trump...
"America’s global prestige on life support "
https://asiatimes.com/2020/09/americ...-life-support/
Who will step up and lead in the Pacific on the global stage between the US & China?
Will it finally be Japan?
As U.S. and China squabble at U.N., a plea — and warning — from Micronesia
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/09/27/asia-pacific/us-china-un-micronesia/
“A lot of the U.N.’s members think the U.S. is destructive and China is power-hungry.
They don’t find either very appealing,” he said.
“Ambitious Europeans like (French President Emmanuel) Macron see a chance
to fill the leadership gap, so they are willing to challenge Beijing and Washington.”
Something to keep in the back of your mind...
War in the Caucasus will spread to Russia and Turkey
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion...russia-turkey/
A relevant quotation from Winston Churchill;
“You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”
Boop boop de do
Marilyn
I know it is a quotation from Winston Churchill no less, but I recently wonder if the pen is indeed mightier than the sword...
Perhaps the seeds of freedom accompanying the capitalist system will yet set the world to rights, but it seems
that at least the capitalist system "with Chinese characteristics" will give the West a run for its money...
What concerns me greatly is what the technology world will leverage itself off. Which system shall prevail with the
newfound tools of AI and the likes of 5G in war and in peace, in the politics, cyber-space and space realms to come,
except, it is already here...