rollin' on dubs
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.
rollin' on dubs
Pacific Defense and the Strategic Quadrangle: The US Army’s Taiwan Mission
2014-02-16 By Ed Timperlake
In trying to make sense of the situation in the Pacific and to shape a 21st century strategy, American civilian leadership must look at the military technology modernization rate of the PLA and then try and understand what PRC “neighbors” are doing.
In poker terms can this could be considered a key “tell.”
...
Location capabilities and intentions of both Allies and the PRC should drive essential elements of war plans essential to any credible Pacific defense strategy.
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.
'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.
Same as usual.... Wing it.
rollin' on dubs
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
I tried to walk like an Egyptian and now I need to see a Cairo practor....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
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.
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?
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
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.

Could be very effective for small scale regional conflicts, though.
I'm baaaaaaack