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  • From: "Chris Clarke" <hstead AT nc.rr.com>
  • To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Asia doubts US resolve
  • Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2005 20:56:43 -0500

This was very interesting, and, in an uncharacterisic
move, I decided to stop, and dig just a bit on this article.
I went to the link. There is no byline. So, there is no
one to hold accountable for this story. I then checked out
this Toyko Governor. Well, interesting chap to say the
least... Neonationalist. Right-wing. Hawkish. A
throw back to the Japanese of today's infamous activities.

I doubt that than anyone else other than he said these things
any near a public forum. However, it is an interesting threat.
Let me know when someone like "Foreign Affairs" publishes such
an article.

Chris


-----Original Message-----

This is both an interesting and disturbing and
(maybe) accurate story. Does the US have the
resolve to take on China? From what I can see it doesn't look like it.

This has far reaching consequents if you ask me.
If Asia doubts that we can do the job they will
have to protect themselves. That means a military
build up and a military build up is never good
for the world ... in a general sort of way.
Things are changing fast...
I'm curious about what you all think about this...


Rob
```````````````

http://www.insightmag.com/Media/MediaManager/slasheastasia_1.htm

East Asia allies doubt U.S. could win war with China

The overwhelming assessment by Asian officials,
diplomats and analysts is that the U.S. military
simply cannot defeat China. It has been an
assessment relayed to U.S. government officials
over the past few months by countries such as
Australia, Japan and South Korea. This comes as
President Bush wraps up a visit to Asia, in which
he sought to strengthen U.S. ties with key allies in the region.

Most Asian officials have expressed their views
privately. Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara has
gone public, warning that the United States would lose any war with
China.

"In any case, if tension between the United
States and China heightens, if each side pulls
the trigger, though it may not be stretched to
nuclear weapons, and the wider hostilities
expand, I believe America cannot win as it has a
civic society that must adhere to the value of
respecting lives," Mr. Ishihara said in an
address to the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International
Studies.

Mr. Ishihara said U.S. ground forces, with the
exception of the Marines, are "extremely
incompetent" and would be unable to stem a
Chinese conventional attack. Indeed, he asserted
that China would not hesitate to use nuclear
weapons against Asian and American cities-even at
the risk of a massive U.S. retaliation.

The governor said the U.S. military could not
counter a wave of millions of Chinese soldiers
prepared to die in any onslaught against U.S.
forces. After 2,000 casualties, he said, the U.S.
military would be forced to withdraw.

"Therefore, we need to consider other means to
counter China," he said. "The step we should be
taking against China, I believe, is economic containment."

Officials acknowledge that Mr. Ishihara's views
reflect the widespread skepticism of U.S.
military capabilities in such countries as
Australia, India, Japan, Singapore and South
Korea. They said the U.S.-led war in Iraq has
pointed to the American weakness in low-tech warfare.

"When we can't even control parts of Anbar, they
get the message loud and clear," an official
said, referring to the flashpoint province in western Iraq.

As a result, Asian allies of the United States
are quietly preparing to bolster their militaries
independent of Washington. So far, the Bush
administration has been strongly opposed to an
indigenous Japanese defense capability, fearing
it would lead to the expulsion of the U.S. military presence from that
country.

On Nov. 16, Mr. Bush met with Japanese Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi. The two leaders
discussed the realignment of the U.S. military
presence in Japan and Tokyo's troop deployment in Iraq.

During his visit to Washington in early November,
Mr. Ishihara met senior U.S. defense officials.
They included talks with U.S. Defense Deputy
Undersecretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs
Richard Lawless to discuss the realignment of the
U.S. military presence in Japan.

For his part, Mr. Ishihara does not see China as
evolving into a stable democracy with free elections.

"I believe such predictions are totally wrong," Mr. Ishihara said.

_






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