From where I sit, some kind of military & strategic parity is no bad thing. Keeps the bastards honest (whoever They might be).
From where I sit, some kind of military & strategic parity is no bad thing. Keeps the bastards honest (whoever They might be).
India and Indonesia, +20 years- and they also enter the equation. It's a happening place!
Looking a long way forward, if a much larger Chinese navy can use Gwadar as a springboard and maybe, who knows, a new port in Myanmar, then the Chinese could command the Indian ocean and effectively landlock India, which is without a lot of friendly land neighbours. Add another foothold in the Horn of Africa and China has the Gulf and the Red Sea covered too. No one knows what will happen, still India needs to plan for all the scenarios.
I remember on these same pages around 2007, telling people about the projected rise of China, and what was actually happening there- from first hand observation. Few believed it, most believed China was heading for it's 'Next great Collapse'. Maybe they still are.
Never underestimate Change.
Never underestimate the will of the ROC to defend itself and let's not forget the rather significant combined miltary power of Japan and South Korea. All this coupled with the backing of the US and the economic sanctions from bunches of nation will make it suicide for China to do more than they are now which frankly amounts to fuck all.
There will be no invasion of Taiwan.
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect,"
I agree with that 100%.
And that, too.
It wil be a bi-polar world for some time, IMO. The only way the US will continue with world dominance is my becoming more and more agressive towards China and eventualy going to war with China and defeating it. If that happens, it will be very messy indeed, and who actually wins that very messy and costly war will be interesting but that war may be some time off and I/we might not be here to see it.
Telegraph: AUKUS partnership was discussed at G7 summit without Macron’s knowledge
According to the report, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab assisted in the preparation of the agreement despite the warnings that such agreement will harm the relations with Beijing and Paris
LONDON, September 19. /TASS/. Details of the AUKUS partnership (Australia, the UK and the US) were discussed at the June G7 summit in Cornwall, but French President Emmanuel Macron was unaware of that, The Sunday Telegraph report says.
According to the report, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab assisted in the preparation of the agreement despite the warnings that such agreement will harm the relations with Beijing and Paris.
The Summit that took place on June 11-13 was attended by leaders of the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, the US, France and Japan, as well as leaders of Australia, India, South Korea and South Africa invited as guests. According to The Sunday Telegraph, all documents on AUKUS after the summit were classified as "top secret".
On September 16, Australia, the UK and the US announced the new AUKUS security partnership. Under the agreement, Australia plans to construct eight nuclear-powered submarines and equip its forces with US-made cruise missiles; the made Canberra void its defense contract with France - the largest in its history.
In response to this development, France immediately withdrew its ambassadors from the US and Australia but not from the UK. According to French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian, Paris made this decision, "knowing London’s policy of constant opportunism.".
Telegraph: AUKUS partnership was discussed at G7 summit without Macron’s knowledge - World - TASS
And another problem for Macron:
Macron cancels invitation to Parmelin (Swiss president for this year)
A visit by Guy Parmelin to France, which has been planned for six months, falls through the water. President Emmanuel Macron does not want to see the Swiss head of state.
French President Emmanuel Macron is not only angry with the US and the loss of a submarine deal with Australia that was believed to be safe. Macron is also mad at Switzerland because Federal Bern has decided to procure the American stealth jet F-35 for around six billion francs. For about half a year, Switzerland and France had planned a presidential visit by Federal President Guy Parmelin to Paris. But nothing will come of this working meeting, which should have taken place in November.
Macron doesn't want to see Parmelin. And not only that: Paris does not want to allow any high-level bilateral contacts with federal Bern until next summer. The unusual step not only strains relations between the two countries, but also those between Switzerland and the EU, whose Council presidency Macron will take over in the first half of 2022. The French head of state will play first fiddle in the EU's Council of Ministers, the decision-making body of the member states, for six months.
Wegen Kampfjet-Entscheid – Macron ladt Parmelin aus | Tages-Anzeiger
Presumably ditto for Japan, Canada, Germany and Italy. Are we to presume that the reason Australia was invited to the meeting was to facilitate this 'undertaking' with secret meetings within the three countries. The French have a perfect right to be pissed at the Americans. What a bloody dog and pony show. Unbelievable. I wonder whether our brilliant team at the State Department has figured in to the equation that the French may not, on some issues, back the "western bloc' in the Security Council ?
A true diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a manner that you will be asking for directions.
What a screaming cockwomble Simon Jenkins is, but consider the source.....
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/20/boris-johnson-military-alliance-pacific-reckless-post-imperial-nostalgia-aukus
took all those words to arrive at the last sentence and his real agenda
Last edited by malmomike77; 21-09-2021 at 01:58 AM.
Jenkins makes a very good point actually-
Crewed submarines are approaching obsolescence, near useless in an age of “transparent” oceans and underwater drones. Like tanks, they drip with cost, inefficiency and a craving to fight outdated wars.
When living in the Darkside, I became a friend of one of the very first generation of ROV operators. A huge growth industry, with rapid technological development.
When the first of our expensive new toys is due to first hit the water and sink in the 2040's, manned subs may well be obsolete. Look at how aerial drones have developed.
And considering several of our current subs sit idle because we don't have enough trained personnel to man them, sounds a good thing for Australia...
Its quite obvious who isn't to be trusted and it isn't the French, irrespective of your knee-jerk hissy-fits
Its just another clusterfuck by the Anglo-fuckwits . . . The US has their world domination 'needs' while the UK is desperate for someone/anyone to follow while Australia feels all alone far far away
^^ No, monkeybrains. Someone has to try and make up for your dearth of grey matter.
No doubt so another deal will be struck to replace the obsolete subs. This is just the way the much talked about "military industrial complex" operates. Make a sale on what you have while developing the next generation replacement. Matter of fact, the way all enterprises work. A sort of planned obsolesence just like we see in the smart phone industry.
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