World News Thread & Breaking News!!
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joshuatree
Captain
Yeah, Obama just took the US, China, and Japan up the creek without a paddle. The ambiguity was a strength for the US to be able to keep a strategic position in East Asia without ratcheting up tensions but he just threw that away. The ambiguity made both China and Japan think twice. Since ambiguity is thrown out, what exactly does "administration" of the islands mean? Either those islands are yours or not, how do you administer something that is not outright yours or how does the right to administer be given to you by someone else that doesn't own it? Definitely watch the Japanese nationalists be emboldened to build something on those islands. People think those islands are not gonna bring countries to war but it's a red line that China has to engage in if the Japanese start building on those islands. Otherwise, it's creditability within and abroad will be destroyed so a damaging war is still the better choice to make. And is all that risk worth it for the US? For what exactly? TPP? I'm not even sure every American citizen wants TPP because of the implications and impact. To this day, not everyone believes NAFTA is good. Was this for soothing an ally and making the "pivot" look like it has teeth? Then it certainly confirms the "pivot" is nothing peaceful and is absolutely containment.
Taking China out of the equation, Taiwan claims Diaoyu as well and the muted response is downright sad.
Miragedriver
Brigadier
AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
Truly like the Wild West. Not in any way following the stereotype of the communist police state.
Engineer
Major
Obama effectively started a fire in Asia by giving out blank cheques. There is absolutely no doubt that Japan will feel bold to stir up trouble now. In my opinion, this is good news in disguise for China, bad news for Japan and those other Asian nations.
This is good for China, as Obama's statement removes any doubt in Chinese leaders' mind about America's role being an adversarial one. After today, those within the Chinese government who advocate for cooperation with America should fall silence, getting served tall glasses of I-told-you-so. Also, while one of Obama's intentions is to pressure China to concede, that very same pressure will quicken the pace of military modernization within China. As a result, we should see China pushes out newer and more hardware at a more rapid pace.
The reason this is bad news for nations such as Japan is as follow. Be it a small skirmish between China and Japan's navies, or China emptying half its missile inventory onto Japan, the consequence to China is the same -- America's intervention. With that being the case, it would be advantageous for China to do the latter and disarm Japan first, so that China may focus on one opponent at a time rather than getting ganged up. By then, America may not be able to stomach going one-on-one with China. The bonus is that China would be able to ensure her security for years to come by removing her biggest rival.
I agree that it is good for china because it says loud and clear where the US stands on the territorial dispute, and will likely galvanise China's leaders in taking a clearer look about its security environment.
But I disagree in the sense that China will see disarming Japan as a valid strategy first, rather I think it will mean China will tread a little more softly around Japan while simultaneously building up its military (and hopefully nuclear) arsenal even faster than it is now, so that they will reach a point of military parity or superiority in the region quicker.
Only thing made clear is Obama's intention for making the statement:
He also said that the stance on the Diaoyu Island may be retracted if no breakthrough is achieved regarding the TPP talk. It sure does not cost anything to issue supportive statements.
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Engineer
Major
I meant if shooting breaks out, then the viable strategy for China is to disarm Japan first before America's intervention. If no shooting occurs, then of course China should just continue doing what she is doing.
AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
A lot of articles I read speak of Obama "reaffirming" their alliance with the Japanese. If they're just repeating what they already know, that's for Japanese ears not Chinese. Meaning the Japanese are insecure and unsure. Also I read it being said "If Japan is attacked by China..." the US will come to Japan's defense. Why not the US will defend Japan no matter what... That's a stronger message to China. The Philippines finally apologized and are going to pay compensation for the slaughter of Hong Kong tourists. You don't think someone who is about to visit prodded them to resolve that after being so adamant. I'm sure that was a roadblock for any orchestrated anti-China plans with Hong Kong activists. If Obama is not aware now he should be that any one of these countries can drag the US into a war. Remember when Chen Shui-Bian went out of his way to taunt China because he knew the US was going to defend Taiwan? The US had to tell him to shut up and pipe-down. China was in a weaker position then. Look at the Taiwanese fisherman incident with the Philippines. That was resolved quicker than with Hong Kong. Two countries on the same team against China can make the whole idea that everyone-has-a-problem-with-only-China strategy fall apart.
This is no different a case where Obama is just a lot of show. I even read an article where it was mentioned, I don't know if this was a quote from the administration, that this is situation with China is not a "red-line" threat. Obama doesn't again want to be caught in a commitment that he didn't fulfill? The Japanese are going to be relegated to acting out their frustrations to more petty stunts that won't have cause for the US to rethink their relation.
This is no different a case where Obama is just a lot of show. I even read an article where it was mentioned, I don't know if this was a quote from the administration, that this is situation with China is not a "red-line" threat. Obama doesn't again want to be caught in a commitment that he didn't fulfill? The Japanese are going to be relegated to acting out their frustrations to more petty stunts that won't have cause for the US to rethink their relation.
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