Then there's this east Asian nation, which clearly feels no post-American constraints on its strategic aims.Under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the U.S. “pivoted” to Asia. Unfortunately, Asia seems now to be pivoting away from the U.S.As noted here, the Philippines, under its president Rodrigo Duterte, has turned away from America and towards to China. Duterte explained:America has lost now. I’ve realigned myself in your ideological flow. And maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world: China, Philippines and Russia. It’s the only way.Malaysia seems to agree. Calling himself “a true friend of China, its prime minister Najib Razak arrived in China yesterday promising significantly closer defense ties with the Asian giant. Indeed, he is set to sign a major naval with China, said to be the first significant military agreement between the two countries.Duterte may be overstating things when he says “American has lost,” but there’s no doubt that, under Obama, America is losing. From the Middle East to the South China Sea, the Malaysian leader sees the same weakness Duterte perceives.Other Asian nations perceive it too. Vietnam, unwilling until recently to tilt towards China, is seeking new ties with its old enemy. The Vietnamese prime minister visited China in September. And Thailand’s military government is buying submarines from China.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
East Asia pivots away from post-America
The fruits of world-stage planned decline:
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What do they want? Do we need a big bully here?
ReplyDeleteWe need a rich arrogant white father to discipline them.
ReplyDeleteWe don't need a bully, but we do need a wise and righteous nation that has as its policy shaping events in the world's various regions to the extent that it's possible so that its interests are furthered.
ReplyDelete"Rich white arrogant father" . . . been reading The Nation, Think Progress and Daily Kos again, I see.
So if they're not wise and righteous either then the whole world or more likely their leaders, are denuzens of liars, buggers and thieves. Let's see how the shapers shape. Me, I resent being shaped.
ReplyDeleteYeah I look, listen and get around.
ReplyDeleteBut if I'm not mistaken you do like living in the freest, safest, most prosperous nation on earth.
ReplyDeleteYour party certainly has the rich, arrogant whirs bully leading the ticket a and there is no way in hell he is going to shape me. I'd imagine many others worldwide feel the same. Maybe the Pope can but I come fully packaged, if not shaped.
ReplyDeleteThe only nation I've ever known and loved. Same for you I'm sure. But don't you think you're a special brand of special?
ReplyDeleteWhat does Trump and something about him "shaping" anyone have to do with the subject at hand?
ReplyDeleteThe subject is the receding of American power in east Asia. A number of concerns figure into it, ranging from shipping routes to human rights to military alliances to economic opportunity.
Am I anywhere on record saying that Trump would know how to address this?
You brought up us shaping events worldwide and I in and of the world. Also our next President might be Trump and I refuse to be shaped by him. Or anyone, actually, though you have oft inferred I am of the cattle masses. I presume world leaders feel the same about being shaped by a leader of a country not their own.
ReplyDeleteWhy should Eaat Asians trust us and want to be shaped by us? Work the frigging shipping lanes out with all parties. Is that shaping? If it is then it's masterful shaping aka statecraft. If you wanna show how kick ass we are, just publish our military budget which exceeds that of the next 5 countries combined. I hear Bully Trump wants more money from our allies for that. Hey, truly sorry your shaper ain't Cruz. I'm sure you'll come up with who to blame for Trump and of course it's not the Republicans who were largely your ill until recently. You have said the TP had nothing to do with it. Just a bunch of bible and constitution thumpers without a bully bone in their bodies.
ReplyDeleteWhat does "work the frigging shipping lanes out with all parties" look like in a world where China is building artificial islands in the South China Sea and putting landing strips for fighter jets on them?
ReplyDeleteThe Tea Party, during its brief heyday, really didn't have much to say about foreign policy.
The reasons why Trump won the nomination and not an actual conservative are myriad and will be the stuff of historical analysis for years to come. But I don't see that it has much to do with the subject of this post, which is that the MEC orchestrated the decline of the US on the world stage, which has made the world a far more dangerous place since the ascendant actors are amoral at best and certainly have different interests from that the US, when that country existed, had.
Big Bully the Trump man promises to reverse the alleged decline of the US on the world stage and I'm sure he sees himself as a mover and a shaper. That's what he has to do with this post because your choice though ripped another rectum by Trump, still kissed his ass. Shape it baby, shape it!
ReplyDeleteHow does the fact that Ted Cruz, looking squarely at the horror of the prospect of a Hillary Clinton presidency, very late in the process and very reluctantly said he'd vote for Trump ("kissed his ass") have anything to do with the matter of real-time receding of American influence in east Asia?
ReplyDeleteCare to spell out this business of "work[ing] the frigging shipping lanes out with all parties" given what the dynamics at this point in that region are?
ReplyDeleteIt all has to do with the shapers and those who don't do shapers.
ReplyDeleteI got enough dynamics in this region to worry about. But it may affect the price of the new flannel shirt I need to buy me.
ReplyDeleteA vote, is a vote is a vote, even a very reluctant vote. We're all voting against, not for this cycle. Cruz must like the shape of his refurbished rectum.
ReplyDeleteAs for the we can work it out stuff. Also very simple: Statecraft v. War.
ReplyDeleteI spend my days settling matters v. trial so I probably have jaded view. Trials can be a lot of fun, but they are very expensive and the dockets are so crowded it takes years to get it there. Still beats blowing up the courthouse.
ReplyDeleteWeapons are implements of disaster; they are not the implements employed by the ideal man. If he ever uses them, he does so because he cannot help it. He regards tranquility and dispassion as supreme. TTC 31
ReplyDeleteDefinition of dispassion:absence of passion: coolness
ReplyDeleteMore@http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/dispassion
and I end with the question why again? Why is China building artificial islands in the South China Sea and putting landing strips for fighter jets on them? Is that offensive or defensive? They have one aircraft carrier to our 19 plus 1 in reserve, 3 under construction, 1 ordered and 16 planned. 16 planned? At the end of 8 years of intentional military decline on the world stage?
ReplyDeleteRead more everywhere on the web, just google it
Why? Because it is testing ways to diminish US influence in its region of the world.
ReplyDeleteRe: "statecraft": would that be the same "statecraft" you recommended in the run-up to the "agreement" with Iran? That's turned out so well.
Trump will show them. Hope we just get to sit in our armchairs and watch.
ReplyDeleteSo we bully in there with our 19 plus 1 in reserve, 3 under construction, 1 ordered and 16 planned. 16 planned to stop China from building artificial islands in the South China Sea and putting landing strips for fighter jets on them?
ReplyDeleteThat will be Aircraft Carrier v Landing Strips. Hmmm, I think it's defensive.
ReplyDelete