Posted on 03/07/2023 5:24:42 PM PST by nickcarraway
South China Sea military build-up was a test of US resolve, Morrison says
“Interlocking alliances” between nations is the best way to counteract Beijing’s military build-up in the Indo-Pacific region, says former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Morrison, now able to speak more freely after stepping down from office, delivered a gloomy outlook on potential conflict in the region.
He warned that “no country on their own” could resist the military strength of Beijing’s People’s Liberation Army.
“There’s no country, I would argue, almost on Earth that could, other than the United States. I mean, that’s just the reality.
“We’re a country of just over 25 million people, their defence budget is multiple, multiple, multiple times that of Australia’s,” the parliamentarian told Sky News Australia on March 6.
“Being prepared isn’t just having your own capability; it’s having the interlocking alignments and alliances that actually provide the counterbalance to the threat,” he added. “The best outcome is there is no such conflict.”
He further added that “strategic ambiguity” around which countries would come to Taiwan’s defence—if an invasion occurred—could serve as a deterrence and complicate the situation for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership.
The former prime minister played an integral role in setting up the AUKUS deal between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
AUKUS formalised several existing partnerships between the nations and aims to streamline collaboration in fields like quantum computing, undersea capabilities, hypersonic weapons, and cyber technology.
However, the centrepiece of the trilateral arrangement is the sharing of U.S. nuclear propulsion technology with Australia, something that had happened only once before, in 1958, when the United States shared the tech with the UK.
The successful arming of Australia will effectively tip the power balance of the Indo-Pacific.
Beijing Aims to Be ‘Controlling Power’ Over Indo-Pacific
Morrison also said the CCP was seeking to establish a “hegemony” and to be the “controlling power” across the Indo-Pacific.
“Whether that’s in the South China Sea or even further south, it’s to be the dominating and controlling influence over the economic, strategic environment in that part of the world,” he said.
He argued that it was silence from the then-Obama administration that opened the door to the beginnings of the hegemony.
An airstrip made by China is seen beside structures and buildings at the man-made island on Mischief Reef in the Spratlys group of islands, in the South China Sea, on March 20, 2022. (Aaron Favila/AP Photo)
“If you go back to when China was turning island atolls into airports … there was no one saying ‘no,'” Morrison said.
“And they were testing the limits of the West, and when you keep getting the answer of: ‘[They’re] not doing anything, they’re not saying no, they’re not resisting.’ Well, why would he [Xi Jinping] stop?”
AUKUS Priming Australia for Conflict
The former prime minister said it was ridiculous to think that a conflict over Taiwan would have no “direct negative consequences for Australia’s national interest.”
He also said that while his government did prepare contingencies around conflict, it was difficult to predict how an actual war would play out.
“The Russians thought they could take Kiev in two days,” Morrison said, while also referencing former Major General Jim Molan, who stated that “no strategy survives contact with the enemy.”
He said, “once things are going down, everything changes. So, you take [assessments] with a grain of salt.”
Morrison did, however, call on the current Labor government to raise defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP instead of the near-2 percent level it is currently at.
He also revealed that AUKUS was originally designed around the acquisition of a British nuclear-powered submarine fitted with U.S. weapons systems.
His former cabinet minister, now-opposition leader Peter Dutton, has been vocal in his support for the U.S. Virginia-class submarine, arguing it was a tried-and-true model.
The US Marine Corps alone could destroy the Chinese military. The advantage China has is a traitorous American Democrat Party.
Especially when you (intentionally??) use up all of your armaments on Ukraine and don’t replenish any of it (intentionally??).
That is what Russia said too.
The US could beat the Chinese in any theater that Chinese couldn’t walk to.
But there is no way that the US could put enough troops on the ground to control China itself.
Sure.
Can’t beat the Taliban. Can’t conquer Anbar province.
But beat China. Oh, yeah - and Russia at the same time.
No problem.
Someone is talking’ thru their ass. No one can say that because they can’t prove it so it doesn’t cost them anything.
Issue: When afflicted with the crabs place the dead ashes from a lighted cigarette in your palm and rub it into the affected area. It won’t be a cure for the crabs but it sure feels good!
“The US Marine Corps alone could destroy the Chinese military.”
As long as they can convince the Chinese not to use their HYPERSONIC missiles on our carriers.
Perhaps, at some point, rather than lift our noses at the MILITARY ADVANCES of Russia and China, it might occur to our Neocon masters to try to develop some DEFENSIVE WEAPONS.
But we still still need to get Spanked first, which will likely happen in Ukraine.
Our troops defeated both.
Democrats undid it.
You must absolutely hate being around a bunch of Americans who actually love their country.
As a Russian that must make your skin crawl.
Bump
“You must absolutely hate being around a bunch of Americans who actually love their country.”
Actually I hate Americans who think we can SIMPLY IGNORE the threats to my country for 30 years, and then run around trying to ignite World War 3.
So, I guess, you’re close...sort of.
.
“..The US Marine Corps alone could destroy the Chinese military....”
Maybe once upon a time in an America far away....but not anymore.
All they’re getting for recruits these days is the woke, lip stick and high heels.
The American warrior class is NOT signing up but staying within the general population. They saw what went on with that vax BS and want no part of it......and, oh....FJB.
Vietnam too, huh?
Only being on top when it’s over counts.
Don’t put words in my mouth.
He wouldn’t say that if he knew about our new Poofter Paratroopers
What armaments relevant to fighting China have been used up in Ukraine? This will be an air-naval war using long range USN and USAF missiles, antiship missiles, torpedoes, etc. Which of these have been supplied to Ukraine?
No, HIMARS doesn’t count.
No, the USMC couldn’t. It’s not equipped to fight the Air-Naval war that will be the main event in East Asia.
The USMC F18 and F35 squadrons, flying off USN carriers, will participate in this battle, but they are insufficient on their own.
Our military does not lose wars.
We lose occupations under civilian government management.
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