How the US is Militarizing the Pacific
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The US military is planning to have a transformative year in the Pacific. To them, that means militarizing the region. More ships, more planes, more troops, more missiles, and more agreements with allies - all aimed at containing China and their ambitions of power.
Thanks Greg Poling, expert from CSIS for the interview on this topic: https://www.csis.org/people/gregory-b-poling
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Johnny Harris is an Emmy-winning independent journalist and contributor to the New York Times. Based in Washington, DC, Harris reports on interesting trends and stories domestically and around the globe, publishing to his audience of over 3.5 million on Youtube. Harris produced and hosted the twice Emmy-nominated series Borders for Vox Media. His visual style blends motion graphics with cinematic videography to create content that explains complex issues in relatable ways.
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https://yewtu.be/watch?v=plHRRFHZ_f0
Aka The U.S goes mask-off on the South China Sea, and Johnny Harris tries to equivalent China's actions to that of the U.S.
What can I say?
On Harris himself, I suspect his moderacy is being used to co-opt a sort of good cop side of the pro U.S position, considering past videos.
NED- National Endowment in Democracy, an international pro-U.S organization funded by the C.I.A to support color revolutions.
But on a more serious note:
What do you suppose of the Philippine Sea debate, because I haven't gotten a clarified rationale and context on China's actions, from your side?
And how would I counter claims of local Chinese aggression.
The US military has been planning for war with China for at least a decade, with brass agitating for it to happen sooner than later because they knew China would surpass the US militarily. The problem with their line of thought was that they didn’t realize it had already happened.
That's why I put it in captions, according to the video. I just wonder about the South China Sea issue, in regards to its other neighbors, because it makes it seem as if China was the sole aggressor but there's got to be some complexness with it.
Every nation that has a US military base on their land is a de facto aggressor against China. Beset on all sides, of course they will do what they can to take strategic islands.
I would you to give me evidence that these countries are not simply passive allies.
I mean even the Philippines, which, under Duterte's former term, have major things to lose if they take sides fully against China, considering their formerly friendly mutual economic relations, especially in the Belt and Road initiative, and considering the fishing claims as well.
http://www.beltandroadforum.org/english/n100/2019/0428/c22-1336.html
I'm not sure I understand what you mean - in what possible way could allowing the most militant, warlike nation on the earth to base their offensive hegemonic operations out of your nation be passive? If there's a guy threatening to kick in your door and murder your family, would you consider your neighbor his "passive ally" if they let him build a hunting blind on their front lawn for the violent guy to hang out in?
I mean understandable, but what about the fishing and territorial rights claims in the South China sea, exactly, since I've heard about some lopsided marine "clashes" between local fisherman boats and Chinese navy ships?
Edit: in relation to exclusive economic zones,
https://peacepalacelibrary.nl/south-china-sea-islands (This also does note other countries' claims, which might rival bit of China's claims, including the second most expansive, Vietnam)
For me, it doesn't seem as aggressive and intimidating as an issue, compared to the U.S setting up military practices and war games in front of China's shorelines, instead from rogue Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and other Pacific isles.
It is in the US's interest to stoke discontent and rivalry between their vassal states and China, because a unified Asia would be able to resolve issues such as fisheries and territorial rights without US involvement. The presence of those bases means the US can respond/provoke/attack China easily - without those bases the US would be extremely limited in their access to the region except from carrier groups and extremely long flights with numerous in-air refuelings on the way there and back. The existence of those wargames is only allowed because of those bases.
When I talk about the "clashes" though, I mean as controversial as this, for example
https://www.npr.org/2019/06/29/737268828/chinese-trawler-hits-and-sinks-filipino-fishing-boat
(Granted I don't know necessarily if this was a Navy ship or not, that did the hit-and-run on a fishing boat to sink, whether intentionally or not)
and this https://youtu.be/U_d6vJ52RW4 ("China Coast Guard reportedly drives away Filipino fishing boat near Ayungin Shoal")
I say this, because I haven't heard any reasoning or perspective from the Chinese Coast Guard, probably again due to media bias.
I still think the damn U.S bases in the Philippines ought to go, since it only emboldens the United States and its allies to go on the offensive.
Well the first one is about a chinese trawler, so those are just regular chinese people who aren't acting in any official capacity. Doesn't really seem relevant - Americans in boats do dumb aggressive shit all the time. The second one is a blurry video without any real context of what might be a Chinese Coast Guard vessel easily a quarter mile away. I don't think there's any take-away from that video other than an allegation without any video proof. Also, hop into a fishing boat and get close to a US military vessel - they'll do more than putter around a quarter mile away from you, regardless of whose seas they're in.
in the end of the day no matter the situation in SCS no neighbour is gonna take the US side in a conflict outside of mayyyyybe Phillipines. Simply because
Show
Their whole development and economy is completely and utterly joined at the hip with China and that has only accellerated despite the new cold war
What's bonkers to me about this suicidal "war with China" that our bourgeoisie are all so openly bloodthirsty for is that, hello, they have four times as many people as the USA, and the USA increasingly depends on China for their shit
US imports from China have been on the increase over the past two decades, even as a percentage of total economic activity, so adjusting for population increase, etc.
The US military has been planning for war with China for at least a decade, with brass agitating for it to happen sooner than later because they knew China would surpass the US militarily. The problem with their line of thought was that they didn’t realize it had already happened.
That's why I put it in captions, according to the video. I just wonder about the South China Sea issue, in regards to its other neighbors, because it makes it seem as if China was the sole aggressor but there's got to be some complexness with it.
Every nation that has a US military base on their land is a de facto aggressor against China. Beset on all sides, of course they will do what they can to take strategic islands.
I would you to give me evidence that these countries are not simply passive allies.
I mean even the Philippines, which, under Duterte's former term, have major things to lose if they take sides fully against China, considering their formerly friendly mutual economic relations, especially in the Belt and Road initiative, and considering the fishing claims as well. http://www.beltandroadforum.org/english/n100/2019/0428/c22-1336.html
I'm not sure I understand what you mean - in what possible way could allowing the most militant, warlike nation on the earth to base their offensive hegemonic operations out of your nation be passive? If there's a guy threatening to kick in your door and murder your family, would you consider your neighbor his "passive ally" if they let him build a hunting blind on their front lawn for the violent guy to hang out in?
I mean understandable, but what about the fishing and territorial rights claims in the South China sea, exactly, since I've heard about some lopsided marine "clashes" between local fisherman boats and Chinese navy ships? Edit: in relation to exclusive economic zones, https://peacepalacelibrary.nl/south-china-sea-islands (This also does note other countries' claims, which might rival bit of China's claims, including the second most expansive, Vietnam)
For me, it doesn't seem as aggressive and intimidating as an issue, compared to the U.S setting up military practices and war games in front of China's shorelines, instead from rogue Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and other Pacific isles.
Edit: Sorry, if this comment came in a rush.
It is in the US's interest to stoke discontent and rivalry between their vassal states and China, because a unified Asia would be able to resolve issues such as fisheries and territorial rights without US involvement. The presence of those bases means the US can respond/provoke/attack China easily - without those bases the US would be extremely limited in their access to the region except from carrier groups and extremely long flights with numerous in-air refuelings on the way there and back. The existence of those wargames is only allowed because of those bases.
When I talk about the "clashes" though, I mean as controversial as this, for example https://www.npr.org/2019/06/29/737268828/chinese-trawler-hits-and-sinks-filipino-fishing-boat (Granted I don't know necessarily if this was a Navy ship or not, that did the hit-and-run on a fishing boat to sink, whether intentionally or not)
and this https://youtu.be/U_d6vJ52RW4 ("China Coast Guard reportedly drives away Filipino fishing boat near Ayungin Shoal")
I say this, because I haven't heard any reasoning or perspective from the Chinese Coast Guard, probably again due to media bias.
I still think the damn U.S bases in the Philippines ought to go, since it only emboldens the United States and its allies to go on the offensive.
Well the first one is about a chinese trawler, so those are just regular chinese people who aren't acting in any official capacity. Doesn't really seem relevant - Americans in boats do dumb aggressive shit all the time. The second one is a blurry video without any real context of what might be a Chinese Coast Guard vessel easily a quarter mile away. I don't think there's any take-away from that video other than an allegation without any video proof. Also, hop into a fishing boat and get close to a US military vessel - they'll do more than putter around a quarter mile away from you, regardless of whose seas they're in.
Like when USNS Rappahanock, a supply ship and not even technically a combatant vessel, fired on a fishing vessel killing at least one
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-uae-ship-idUSBRE86F0S620120716
There, a direct answer. But tbf, on my part, I wasn't too specific about what I was talking about, sorry.
Best way to get a direct answer is always to ask a direct question...
Right...
in the end of the day no matter the situation in SCS no neighbour is gonna take the US side in a conflict outside of mayyyyybe Phillipines. Simply because
Their whole development and economy is completely and utterly joined at the hip with China and that has only accellerated despite the new cold war
What's bonkers to me about this suicidal "war with China" that our bourgeoisie are all so openly bloodthirsty for is that, hello, they have four times as many people as the USA, and the USA increasingly depends on China for their shit
US imports from China have been on the increase over the past two decades, even as a percentage of total economic activity, so adjusting for population increase, etc.