Posted on 09/01/2020 8:28:14 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Washington aims to formalise its closer Indo-Pacific defence relations with India, Japan and Australia – also known as “the quad” – into something more closely resembling the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), a senior US State Department official said on Monday.
The US government’s goal is to get the grouping of four countries and others in the region to work together as a bulwark against “a potential challenge from China” and “to create a critical mass around shared values and interests of those parties in a manner that attracts more countries in the Indo-Pacific and even from around the world … ultimately to align in a more structured manner”, said Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun.
“The Indo-Pacific region is actually lacking in strong multilateral structures,” he said. “They don‘t have anything of the fortitude of NATO or the European Union. The strongest institutions in Asia oftentimes are not, I think, not inclusive enough and so … there is certainly an invitation there at some point to formalise a structure like this.”
“Remember even NATO started with relatively modest expectations and a number of countries [initially] chose neutrality over NATO membership,” Biegun added. Biegun cautioned that Washington would keep its ambitions for a Pacific NATO “checked”, saying that such a formal alliance “only will happen if the other countries are as committed as the United States”.
Speaking with former US ambassador to India, Richard Verma, in an online discussion organised by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, Biegun also said the group of four nations were expected to meet in Delhi sometime this autumn and cited Australia’s possible participation in India’s Malabar naval exercise as an example of progress towards a more formal defence bloc.
India is “clearly indicating an intention to invite Australia to participate in the Malabar naval exercises,
(Excerpt) Read more at scmp.com ...
India,Japan and Australia are three countries that have good reason to look at China with deep concern.
Isn’t there a SEATO.
we should support the remilitarization of Japan, including nukes. that would take the toy out of china’s happy meal.
Checkmate to China. Add in the other four (especially Vietnam).
When is our federal govt go to officially label Antifa a terrorist organization - a Trump promised last spring , hasn’t happened yet - and indict its leaders under Rico?
All this focus on the Far East and ithe Middle East is very much down the priority list for me, when we haven’t established “national security” in many of our own cities right here in America
America First! - including when it comes to national security. Let’s defeat our home grown terrorists before launching new crusades abroad
RE: Isn’t there a SEATO.
Not anymore. SEATO was primarily created to block further communist gains in Southeast Asia. SEATO is generally considered a failure because internal conflict and dispute hindered general use of the SEATO military. SEATO was dissolved in 1977 after many members lost interest and withdrew.
SEATO v2.0
When SCMP is bothered...
I agree America first but these should be able to be achieved at the same time.
Plus playing by the rules when it comes to law takes a logn time when Rs have to do it.
only mueller can send the SS out in the middle of the night...
But your overall point...yes, America first
Add Taiwan and South Korea? Just a thought.
An excellent idea. Box the CCP in.
In fact, an idea reported on by Fox News tonight was that the cowardly and nearly worthless SecDef Esper should go to Taiwan.
It was stated that the idea was met with feebleness by the nearly worthless piss poor excuse for a man Esper but, the idea is gaining some traction and that Pajama Boy might have to do so whether he likes it or not. Or, resign. I’m in favor of the latter. And, then send his replacement to Taiwan.
I don’t agree. Focusing people’s attention on foreign policy takes attention off domestic and nothing gets done to advance America at home. This was
what happened under Bush. It’s the way the dog principle. Foreign conflicts become a shiny object that distracts. We have so many urgent problems at home that our elites want us distracted from. One reason they’re so bad is that conservatives have been fixated on foreign policy for 20 years
Thing is, Japan doesn’t want nukes. Ask anyone living there, and they’ll say that they don’t want to have to militarize. They also don’t want us there anymore, ap they’re in between a rock and a hard spot.
An alliance with India seems clear cut to me, but I don't know too much about what they think about. It's obvious that they don't get along with China. I like the idea of having a billion plus people sharing the same goals against the ChiComs. Sort of evens the playing field. It would be good for the defense/aerospace business too and give the Frenchies a little competition. I think that is who India has been buying from lately.
Just because Rs use it as a shiny object doesn’t mean they CANT be done at the same time...it means they don’t want to.
I’m pretty sure we fought world wars in 2 theaters and managed to keep the mainland in good shape.
Anyway, I could be completely wrong. :)
If I Was that sharp I would be a millionaire and somewhere on a yacht instead of giving my useless opinion on a politics chat board at midnight on a Wednesday :)
have a good one man
the Japanese don’t have to want them. we just have to be ready to supply them. there’s not as much difference in the affect on the Chinese as you would think.
Japan could assemble a nuke warhead in 1 week, or less.
Nucs will never again be used in war. They are political weapons now.
More like 30 years.
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