That would be awesome!
Australia has always been a partner nation. They have been very active over the years as well. Few really know all that they do. East Timor for example. Most have no clue that the Aussies are in Iraq, that they had troops in Korea or Vietnam. Japan, S. Korea, New Zealand and Australia are all nations that should be on the list.
Frankly, I trust and would depend on Japan more than France! Few in the US know that Japan also has troops in Iraq. That they are one of the bigger financial supporters of rebuilding Iraq. Fact is, Japan has a military larger and more capable than any European nation. They are the worlds second largest economy, have a higher per capita GDP than most of Europe, are one of the worlds leading contributors to the UN, are extremely reliable when it comes to arms non-proliferation and they do NOT bottom feed like the Russians or French. Of course all know they are a democracy, but compared to many of the European allies, Japan is more stead fast in it’s democratic ways and less corrupt. I think it's past due that Japan, S. Korea, Australia, and New Zealand be offered this opportunity.
But there is a flip side to the coin. In a geopolitical sense, if they are tied into NATO then an attack on S. Korea might not be a US/British/Canadian/Aussie/Japanese issue but an issue where Italy, Spain, Norway, even Germany also help out. The bottom line is that for years the US has been playing policeman. The US tax payer has been subsidiesing the national security of allied nations with whom other nations like the Germans, French or even Norwegians do trade, travel etc. But did the Germans want to have anything to do with the security situation in S. Korea? Hell no. They want to buy their products made in Japan and Korea, they want to export their BMW’s there, but they want absolutely nothing to do with the messy costly security issues. Vacation in Australia? Sure. Sell Tiger helicopters to Australia, Sure. And if the Aussies face a threat, would they be there? No.
If you read between the lines here you see exactly what I’m talking about. These European nations want NATO to serve their security needs. But they don’t want to pay any of the costs in the Pacific rim. Just like they expect us to help them but they want to do as little as possible in the GWOT. Who do you think did the “balking” in the article? The article didn’t say, but within Europe I can already say France, Germany and Belgium will be against it. Why? Because they fear that maybe they too have to carry some of the weight.
We live in a world where it is really “expected” that the US clean up pirates off the East coast of Africa, but nations that have ships with their flag on them, carrying their products for export feel absolutely in their right to do nothing to help. It’s a sad sad situation. But will Germany expect NATO to get involved if a nuclear Iran raised it’s head and threatened central Europe? Absolutely! If the Balkans fell apart would the Germans feel as if NATO should intervene as in the past? Absolutely!
Many in Europe are in the peculiar situation where they can’t be forced to help and where they have a choice. If they do nothing others have no choice but to fix the real pressing issues out there anyway. If Germany does nothing when S. Korea gets attacked, S. Korea will fight, the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan will all help each other out in this war scenario. The Europeans have no obligation to do anything and they like it that way. They are a spoiled child that knows it’s a spoiled child, at least in political circles.
I understand the tendency to group NZ and Australia together but they are totally different in this case.
Australia is A+, while modern NZ government behavior is feckless akin to euro-weenies. People should not be in denial about the NZ government attitude and behavior.
"Fact is, Japan has a military larger and more capable than any European nation."
No. They have strong navy, but their land forces hardly exist.
I think it is time we shut down NATO, and made a whole new alliance, or come up with some way to kick western Europe out. NATO has too much dead weight.