Post by Islamic Revival on Apr 20, 2005 6:47:40 GMT -5
Excellent analysis by Linda Heard....
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Asia Plays Political Musical Chairs
By Linda Heard
Al-Jazeerah, April 19, 2005
www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20editorials/2005%20Opinion%20Editorials/April/19%20o/Asia%20Plays%20Political%20Musical%20Chairs.htm
The sight of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh enjoying a cricket match alongside his country’s former nemesis Pervez Musharraf was a welcome sight for moderate Indians and Pakistanis, serving as proof that the subcontinent’s two nuclear neighbors may at last be sorting out their differences.
It’s true that spectators threw cans at each other after the leaders left the ground — a regular sport in UK stadiums — but on a positive note buses began ferrying Indians and Pakistanis across the border with disputed Kashmir for reunions with long cut-off family and friends.
The days when a nuclear war between India and Pakistan looked ever more real have thankfully receded but Kashmir remains an incendiary trouble spot despite Musharraf’s recent promise to rein in the insurgents on his side of the border.
A Sino-Indian dispute over its joint 3,400 km border, however, could be on the point of being solved. China is eager to woo its partner in the “New Asian Century”, predicted by the CIA to manifest in the year 2020, and has already announced that Sikkim is, in fact, part of India.
Further, China has promised to back India’s bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and has forged new links with India over the swapping of IT technology as well as military cooperation.
For its part, India appears to have forgiven the nuclear, missile and military assistance China purportedly gave to Pakistan — or rather swept it under the carpet — in return for a new strategic partnership with the emerging superpower.
Indeed, the Indian prime minister indicated his priorities when he grandiosely announced: “India and China can together reshape the world order.”<br>
On second thoughts, perhaps it isn’t that farfetched when one remembers that together the inhabitants of India and China represent one third of the world’s population, and both currently enjoy unprecedented economies.
On the other hand, India appears to be slipping out of the clutches of the US, refusing its in-country aid in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami and appearing less than lukewarm over the Pentagon’s offer of advanced F-16s and F-18 fighter jets after the US went ahead with the delivery of long promised F-16s to Pakistan.
China may be of similar mind as it is flexing its muscles against a US client state Japan, ostensibly over Japanese school textbooks, which ignore or gloss over World War II atrocities.
To my mind, the incident has been deliberately inflated given that the books in question were not written by the Japanese government and pop up in only one percent of Japan’s schools.
It is rather the bamboo that broke the panda’s back of worsening Sino-Japan relations, recently irritated by Japan’s unilateral dispensing of oil and gas drilling rights in disputed waters.
Some demonstrators have been quoted as saying they really have nothing against the Japanese but are enjoying the novelty of being able to protest and blow off steam.
China no doubts sees the irony of Japan’s demands for it to put a stop to the demonstrations taking place in ten Chinese cities, when ever since Tiananmen Square the international community and human rights groups have complained about China’s dictatorial stance on public gatherings.
In short, the timing of China’s aggressive attitude toward Japan is suspect when Japan, backed by the US, wants a permanent seat on the Security Council. China has told Japan it should reflect on its role in history before it joins the elite club and now has the perfect excuse to use its veto ensuring Japan stays out.
So if one joins the pieces of the puzzle, it looks as though a new Asian bloc is forming before our very eyes, which, while it isn’t exactly hostile to the US, seems keen to branch out on its own.
Let’s face it: Nuclear China allied to nuclear North Korea and nuclear India represents a giant, but when you add to the mix nuclear Russia (although Sino-Russian relations have recently cooled over the location of planned joint military exercises) and Iran, which has signed oil and gas agreements with China, then you get a powerful Asian swathe.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons US rhetoric against Iran has recently been tempered. And during the recent visit of Ariel Sharon to the Bush ranch, the Israeli prime minister used a softer tone regarding Iran’s alleged uranium enrichment ambitions.
China’s newfound confidence on the world stage was further evidenced by its passing of an anti-secession law vis-à-vis Taiwan, an issue which could erupt into a major flashpoint between China and the US at any time.
As James T. Hackett wrote in Monday’s Washington Times concerning China’s naval build-up, it’s main goal “is the ability to blockade or invade Taiwan, and prevent the US Pacific fleet from intervening. The Chinese describe that goal in detail in reports and publications. Their armed forces conduct annual exercises to invade across the Taiwan Strait and fight an aircraft carrier task force.
“The United States is alert to the danger and has joined with allies, such as Japan, Australia and Singapore to confront Beijing’s aggressive posture.”<br>
In that case, doesn’t it make perfect sense that China is shoring up allies too?
It’s becoming clear that the days of the unipolar world, which emerged after the fall of the “Iron Curtain”, may be coming to a close.
China and India are pursuing superpower status, either singularly or jointly, leaving countries like South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines no doubt wondering on which side of the fence they should eventually jump. One thing is for sure. The price of being left on the wrong side once the real Asian tigers roar may be great.
================================================
Asia Plays Political Musical Chairs
By Linda Heard
Al-Jazeerah, April 19, 2005
www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20editorials/2005%20Opinion%20Editorials/April/19%20o/Asia%20Plays%20Political%20Musical%20Chairs.htm
The sight of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh enjoying a cricket match alongside his country’s former nemesis Pervez Musharraf was a welcome sight for moderate Indians and Pakistanis, serving as proof that the subcontinent’s two nuclear neighbors may at last be sorting out their differences.
It’s true that spectators threw cans at each other after the leaders left the ground — a regular sport in UK stadiums — but on a positive note buses began ferrying Indians and Pakistanis across the border with disputed Kashmir for reunions with long cut-off family and friends.
The days when a nuclear war between India and Pakistan looked ever more real have thankfully receded but Kashmir remains an incendiary trouble spot despite Musharraf’s recent promise to rein in the insurgents on his side of the border.
A Sino-Indian dispute over its joint 3,400 km border, however, could be on the point of being solved. China is eager to woo its partner in the “New Asian Century”, predicted by the CIA to manifest in the year 2020, and has already announced that Sikkim is, in fact, part of India.
Further, China has promised to back India’s bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and has forged new links with India over the swapping of IT technology as well as military cooperation.
For its part, India appears to have forgiven the nuclear, missile and military assistance China purportedly gave to Pakistan — or rather swept it under the carpet — in return for a new strategic partnership with the emerging superpower.
Indeed, the Indian prime minister indicated his priorities when he grandiosely announced: “India and China can together reshape the world order.”<br>
On second thoughts, perhaps it isn’t that farfetched when one remembers that together the inhabitants of India and China represent one third of the world’s population, and both currently enjoy unprecedented economies.
On the other hand, India appears to be slipping out of the clutches of the US, refusing its in-country aid in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami and appearing less than lukewarm over the Pentagon’s offer of advanced F-16s and F-18 fighter jets after the US went ahead with the delivery of long promised F-16s to Pakistan.
China may be of similar mind as it is flexing its muscles against a US client state Japan, ostensibly over Japanese school textbooks, which ignore or gloss over World War II atrocities.
To my mind, the incident has been deliberately inflated given that the books in question were not written by the Japanese government and pop up in only one percent of Japan’s schools.
It is rather the bamboo that broke the panda’s back of worsening Sino-Japan relations, recently irritated by Japan’s unilateral dispensing of oil and gas drilling rights in disputed waters.
Some demonstrators have been quoted as saying they really have nothing against the Japanese but are enjoying the novelty of being able to protest and blow off steam.
China no doubts sees the irony of Japan’s demands for it to put a stop to the demonstrations taking place in ten Chinese cities, when ever since Tiananmen Square the international community and human rights groups have complained about China’s dictatorial stance on public gatherings.
In short, the timing of China’s aggressive attitude toward Japan is suspect when Japan, backed by the US, wants a permanent seat on the Security Council. China has told Japan it should reflect on its role in history before it joins the elite club and now has the perfect excuse to use its veto ensuring Japan stays out.
So if one joins the pieces of the puzzle, it looks as though a new Asian bloc is forming before our very eyes, which, while it isn’t exactly hostile to the US, seems keen to branch out on its own.
Let’s face it: Nuclear China allied to nuclear North Korea and nuclear India represents a giant, but when you add to the mix nuclear Russia (although Sino-Russian relations have recently cooled over the location of planned joint military exercises) and Iran, which has signed oil and gas agreements with China, then you get a powerful Asian swathe.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons US rhetoric against Iran has recently been tempered. And during the recent visit of Ariel Sharon to the Bush ranch, the Israeli prime minister used a softer tone regarding Iran’s alleged uranium enrichment ambitions.
China’s newfound confidence on the world stage was further evidenced by its passing of an anti-secession law vis-à-vis Taiwan, an issue which could erupt into a major flashpoint between China and the US at any time.
As James T. Hackett wrote in Monday’s Washington Times concerning China’s naval build-up, it’s main goal “is the ability to blockade or invade Taiwan, and prevent the US Pacific fleet from intervening. The Chinese describe that goal in detail in reports and publications. Their armed forces conduct annual exercises to invade across the Taiwan Strait and fight an aircraft carrier task force.
“The United States is alert to the danger and has joined with allies, such as Japan, Australia and Singapore to confront Beijing’s aggressive posture.”<br>
In that case, doesn’t it make perfect sense that China is shoring up allies too?
It’s becoming clear that the days of the unipolar world, which emerged after the fall of the “Iron Curtain”, may be coming to a close.
China and India are pursuing superpower status, either singularly or jointly, leaving countries like South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines no doubt wondering on which side of the fence they should eventually jump. One thing is for sure. The price of being left on the wrong side once the real Asian tigers roar may be great.