[quote=FlyerInHi]Ucodegen, I hate to sound like I’m defending China. I’m not. I want our liberal democratic values to win, but Trump is clueless.
But the facts that you posted don’t give the US standing to get involved. Plus Philippines won the arbitration case against China, why don’t they enforce, and why is Duterte kissing ass to Beijing? Maybe if China is interfering with shipping lanes. But they are not.[/quote]
How are the Philippines going to enforce against China? Who has the stronger military force? The US does have standing in international waters. Read the case. Spratleys are considered ‘rocks’ because they are barely above high tide, if at all. See also the ruling I noted with regard to international waters, coastal waters etc. China is trying to make the entire area ‘their’ coastal waters.
So I guess your plan is to wait until there is a real international incident and then whine about it? China works on a long term plan – many moves ahead. They operate with more than a 15 second ‘sound bite’ style of concentration and planning.
[quote=FlyerInHi]
China has bilateral trade with North Korea. So what? If the US doesn’t like North Korea’s nuclear program, why is that China’s responsibility?
In countries around Asia there are pro US and pro China factions. So far, the pro China, authoritarian factions are winning because TPP is dead.[/quote] It is China’s problem because they are propping up their reckless ally. The US is not the only one concerned about NK’s behavior. Try studying some of their actions with respect to shelling an occupied SK island and torpedoing a SK destroyer in international waters – just to start with.
[quote=FlyerInHi]
Now Trump is creating a rift with Australia. Nice!
[/quote] Try reading the terms of the Refugee transfer that is causing the (so called)rift. Australia initially took Refugees from Syria (among others), then suddenly changed their mind after they were about to be settled in Aus – Obama signed (executive order I believe) that he would take them near the last year or so of office – (maybe he knew that he would not be around when the transfer actually occurred). Trump is saying hold on, wait a minute. You (Australia) picked them up now suddenly want to toss the ones you don’t want over to us? Why? The Aussie prime is now in a squeeze – with refugees that he wants to pawn off but can’t.
All of the occupants of Manus Island are male. By far the largest number are from Iran, followed by Afghanistan and Iraq. There are also sizeable contingents from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar.
