Posted on 01/28/2023 5:19:32 AM PST by FarCenter
...
Janes Defense writer Takahashi Kosuke cites retired admiral Kawano Katsutoshi saying that US presidential elections every four years and always unpredictable American public opinion raises fundamental questions about the constancy and reliability of US extended deterrence for its allies.
Indeed, the longstanding strategic logic of US extended deterrence may have already been broken.
As Asia Times has previously reported, China and North Korea may already have capabilities to strike the US mainland from bastions in the South China Sea or within their territories using highly-lofted trajectory launches – making it unlikely the US would retaliate using nuclear weapons in defense of Japan when its territories are threatened by nuclear attack.
Although Kosuke noted that late prime minister Shinzo Abe mentioned NATO-style nuclear-sharing as an option for Japan, they would most likely remain under US control in such an arrangement.
Japan is thus now quickly developing indigenous deterrent capabilities. Asia Times has reported on Japan’s plans to acquire long-range cruise missiles for counterstrike purposes and its belated hypersonic weapons projects.
I always wondered about this. How could any of our allies trust us to help when elections seem to change the entire trajectory of support for them?
The Japanese are smart and creative. They should be able to develop the systems they want without a lot of extra effort.
Nobody trusts us anymore because we are totally corrupted. America pretends to be moral as this particular regime prattles on about “our values” but we have become the exact opposite.
Americans don’t trust America.
Translation: You Americans have become a dis-honorable mess.
An intelligent, homogeneous culture will address this issue in a swift manner.
Japan should act in its own best interest.
I think they will do just fine.
Japan would be wise to arm up - including going nuclear. It is never a good idea to be dependent on somebody else for your national defense.
Furthermore, America should want a strong Japan capable of defending itself. That would make them a much more valuable ally instead of a dependent. Its not 1946 anymore. The same goes for Europe, btw.
In just my lifetime, and I am only in my 40’s.
Can’t say I blame them.
Japan is far better off than most of Europe, because they’re still Japan.
I find it odd that only “white countries” have been allowing 3rd world trash people to come to their countries.
Balkanization is societal death.
Diversity is a weakness.
That worked out so well that least time...
After what’s going on in the Ukraine, I don’t blame them..
They also see that Red China is ruled by psychopaths and,thanks to our foolish policy of opening our ports to their goods over the last 40 years,they grow stronger every day.
If they wanted to they could develop a nuke in months. So could the South Koreans. But Japanese citizens might have a problem with that.
Yes,both Japan and South Korea are about 99% racially “pure”. Maybe that’s why they have crime rates that are 10% of what you see here...or in Europe...Australia,etc.
It'd be nice if they could contain Fukushima ...
Perhaps the State Department needs to be more independent like the Fed or even Justice. It would make sense because coherence and continuity is needed. Foreign policy used to be more bipartisan. Voters-most couldn’t locate Ukraine or Taiwan on a map. They don’t know Ukraine would not be invaded under Trump. Like BJ lefties could deny.
Justice USD to be independant.
I will argue that:
There are treaties with terms that transcend executive changes
You can take our moral measure easily. Biden allied with Ukraine. Utter total nihilistic corruption on both ends
While this is surely fair cause for great frustration on their part, it will not lead to a splitting if our current strategic partnership. Any sound and complete national security strategy for Japan, however, must consider and prepare for that contingency.
Aside from military partnership fluctuations, there is a new cultural resistance growing against the US now as well, by many of our partners. For example, any country that cannot distinguish between a man and a woman is not considered mentally sound, or healthy. And flying those gay pride flags at every US embassy is advertising our moral weakness and mental instability on a grand scale. Many other countries see that as the flag of the devil, or whatever other evil incarnates their cultures believe, and react accordingly.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.