Could be very effective for small scale regional conflicts, though.

They're just about right for a large scale UN disaster relief mission.

Australia has M-1 tanks from the US and is buying the F-18E/F super hornets and will have the F-35 when it comes online.

Japan and Korea both are looking at THAAD...I hope they get it but I think that they should buy AEGIS ashore instead. Australia should buy/lease an AEGIS BMD ship. That would convince the PLA to take China back to the negotiation table because it would blunt their TBM numbers.

A recap of the tensions in South China Sea and its short and long-term implications.

An opinion article on the "Nine-Dash Line".

You know, looking back to the history of Japan, I find it rather intriguing that Iwane Matsui, one of the heads of the Imperial Army, expressed immense shame and regret over the Rape of Nanjing. Not to mention that the event is covered in more Japanese textbooks than the people in China would have you believe. Not to mention that China and Japan were actually pretty cool with each other after WWII until the Tiananmen Square incident.

Really, I'm beginning to think that the problem with both is the ultra-nationalist ideals of some of their leaders. Japan obviously doesn't like to admit their atrocities out of shame (I don't blame them), and China has been creating loads of propaganda to make them out as the victims even more after the aforementioned incident. All I can say is that I hope that both will learn that they need to let bygones be bygones.

And their leaders should stop worshipping convicted war criminals. Honoring/worshipping soldiers is one thing, honoring/worshipping convicted war criminals is quite another.

'Their' leaders? Excuse me; When did China commit war crimes against Japan for the matter?

Also, what is the validity of the context 'making themselves out as victims'? Using the maritime issue concerning the Fishing Isle, Japan hopes to pull America for its military support and protection against China as of late. Even if China doesn't want to sound a victim, in circumstances Japan is playing the bully.

Like I posted, China wants an "empire" in the sense that it wants a sphere of influence in Asia and access to all the sweet stuff under the South China sea.

Japan's conduct in WWII is a fig leaf. Much like the Junta in Argentina used the Falklands to "unite" their people, the PLA uses WII to distract theirs. "Look at that warmongering Japanese squirrel!" they shout.

South Korea and Japan have a legitimate beef over WWII. And yet the US and the West have gotten them to talk about it.

The problem is that China would rather pee in cornflakes than talk. This whole dispute could be solved by meetings and the UN but noooo, they'd rather see who's got the biggest influence.

I kid, I kid.

However it shakes out, the US does have a dog in the fight. Japan and the ROK are our allies and US troops are in the line of fire. The PLA is practicing to KILL, AEGIS ship, PATRIOT and THAAD units in the area if it comes to that.

Again, talk would be easier but no, making with the Scuds and the J-20's is more "fun" to the PLA.

edited 20th Feb '14 9:04:08 AM by TairaMai

@cul

On the first part he's talking about japan, not china. Read.

on the second, it's a disputed territory. people are gonna dispute it, can't call them out for america backing up their ally.

Storytelling, Cultural Spheres and the Senkaku Dilemma.

Troubled Waters: Indonesia’s Growing Maritime Disputes (in this case, with Singapore, Australia, and Papua New Guinea).

edited 19th Feb '14 3:43:02 PM by Quag15

Either it's me or the links aren't functional.

They worked on my case. How about adding "www." at the beginning? Or checking out the website through a search...

edited 19th Feb '14 6:17:48 PM by Quag15

Worked via first suggestion. Thanks.

Read the Indonesian article and I'm not surprised with the troubles (some) between Jakarta and Singapore, which started back from Konfrontasi in the Cold War since at the time, Sukarno was commie-inspired.

Well hey, Japan isn't entirely blameless. Again, I raise my eyebrows at stuff like the Yasukunai shrine and stiff like that, and do have major beefs with Japan's ultra-nationalists. Still though, at least they are beginning to make some progress by at least acknowledging their warcrimes in their textbooks (even if the right-wingers want that to remain hidden).

The way China goes about it, you'd swear that they think that Japan is no different than they were back in WWII. Ironically, China is beginning to adopt that very mentality it seems.

That's what makes me worried, actually. At this rate the Chinese would end up repeating the same mistakes that other people have made.

Ironic, that.

A senior US military official says the PLA has been holding exercises to practice seizing islands in the East China Sea.

If this is/was/would be true, would the remaining ASEAN countries form a coalition to deter China from engaging in such atitudes/possible actions?

I would be very surprised if they havent already...

Maybe? AFAIK, ASEAN has its own internal problems with Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines having their own disputed territories

Uh, none of the claims by ASEAN countries really overlap, therefore there's nothing to "dispute over" among them. Only the two Chinas (i.e. People's Republic of China and the Republic of China - Taiwan). Heck Brunei's and Malaysia's claims don't overlap even though you'd think they're the ones most likely to do so because one surrounds the other on three sides already. Reason for the non-overlap of ASEAN countries' claims? There's this thing called UNCLOS, which apparently doesn't apply to China(s).

edited 20th Feb '14 6:47:55 PM by entropy13

IIRC, Malaysia and the Philippines are fighting over Sabah, which erupted into a conflict last year. Also, Vietnam is claiming the East China Sea as much as the Philippines is calling it the West Philippine Sea

But Sabah's a case of who's suppose to rule as the rightful one dating back from the 19th century.

A top Philippines military officer said China’s Coast Guard fired water cannons at fishermen in the Scarborough Shoal.

Slightly tangential (but somewhat on topic)

China has the perfect defence against new US weapon systems

I can't think of anything else to say other than I find the whole thing unaccountably hilarious.