10/24/2015

Geopolitics – Who to balance who?


In his article appearing in the ST on 23 Oct 15, Luhut B Pandjaitan, the Corodinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs of Indonesia discussed the role of Indonesia as a regional power and where it should stand in big power politics. He hoped that Indonesia should not be put in a position to take sides between China and Japan or between China and the USA. This is about the only sensible thing that he said before turning into another parrot repeating the views of the western world. The lack of original strategic thinking is evident when he aped the West in talking about the need for the USA to balance the rise of China.

What is wrong with this concept of the American Empire, the world’s Number One superpower having to act as a balance against a much weaker rising power in China? In the first place, the USA is the undisputed supreme military power as well as economic power. The USA can do as it likes, can bulldoze its way against any country, including China. If it comes to shove, the Americans could simply walk all over China. What is this talk about balancing a rising China?

In most cases it is the smaller power that needs to get together to balance an abusing superpower. And this was admitted by Lihut himself when he wrote,   ‘inspite of their reservations about the way in which American power has been used sometimes, in the middle East, for example.’ Was he being polite or being a cock to say that sometimes the Americans abused their power? The Americans have always been abusing their superpower status to whack any country they so desired without the need for consultation, Indonesia included. Could not this Lihut see any need to balance the overwhelming power of the Americans to prevent the Americans from becoming a trigger happy gangster?  

The intervention of Putin in Syria was exactly for this purpose, to balance the power of the Americans from killing more Arab and Muslim leaders called regime change. The Russians have stopped the Americans from doing exactly this and save Assad from the same fate as Saddam Hussein and Gaddafi. The rise of China would fill the same void in Asia, to balance the overbearing power of the Americans not to run wild and bully Asian countries one by one. It is the power of the Americans that needs to be balanced, not China, an emerging power that is very much weaker than the Americans. Without the rise of China, all the Asian and Southeast Asian countries will be treated and bullied by the Americans like the Arab and Muslim countries in the Middle East. Indonesia is a Muslim country, remember that.

China’s claim on the South China Sea islands is within its historical right and is not the business of the new South East Asian states. It becomes an issue only when these new states started to counter claim these islands as theirs. If China were as powerful as the Americans, it would show its fingers to these pretenders to think they have a rightful claim to the islands in the South China Sea. China is not making wild claims against the territories of any Asean states. When China was sailing the high seas and marking all these islands, there was no Vietnam, no Philippines, Malaysia or Indonesia to talk about.

Would a war start in the South China Sea? Sure, when these new states are audacious enough to want to claim islands already claimed by China several centuries ago when they were not states in South East Asia but villages and tribal chieftains. Where was Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia or Indonesia?

The Americans too would want a war in the South China Sea to allow them to put a foot into the region and control over the South East Asian states by raising China as their enemy. It would then do the necessary to push China back with its superior and unchallenged military might.

The countries in East Asia and South East Asia are too used to be bullied by the Americans, with the Americans calling the shot and threatening them with interference in their internal affairs and even regime change. If these countries did not create an enemy out of China by wanting to claim Chinese territories, China would be their friend to counter American hegemony in the region and to stand up for them when the Americans try to meddle with their internal affairs or even changing their govt.
The rise of China is a balancing force for the smaller and mid size countries to stop the Americans from bullying them and taking them for granted. It is a smaller power ganging up with other smaller countries to balance the might of a super power, not a super power balancing the power of a smaller rising power.

South East Asia must not become another Middle East with the Americans calling the shot and be deceived into endless warfare, to be taken down one by one by the Americans, divide and rule, remember?

Do the British need to bring in the Americans to balance against a rising China in Europe? Isn’t the British using China to balance against the power and dominance of the USA?

On the same page of the ST there was an article by Jean Pierre Lehmann on Britain and China relations and Jean wrote, ‘That was in the “good old times”, when it was “Great” Britain that ruled the waves and pretty much acted throughout the world as a bully – as all (no exception) “great” powers are prone to do – for example, the US in Iraq, Russia in Ukraine.’

Luhut better prayed that the USA would not turn Indonesia into another Iraq. And Lihut is best advised to read what Jean Pierre wrote about the idiot called Charles who ‘boycotted the opening Buckingham Palace banquet, apparently because of “Tibet”. This idiot Charles’ knowledge of history is as far as his nose, and Jean Pierre in his article chastised him for his snobbish royal ignorance of British misdeeds in China. Actually it wasn’t ignorance but a lack of intellect to grasp history, or maybe he had no time to read them.


Can Southeast Asian leaders think? Or they allowed the Americans to think for them, to shape their thinking of what is good or bad in the interests of the Americans?

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Luhut better prayed that the USA would not turn Indonesia into another Iraq.
RB

Cannot compare Indonesia with Iraq lah, anymore than to compare PAP with the Sinkie opposition.

So why would USA want to turn Indonesia into another Iraq? Why would Indonesia want to invade Sinkieland, like how Iraq had invaded Kuwait more than 2 decades ago? Is there another Saudi Arabia near Indonesia?

And last but not least, why would more smart and successful Sinkies want to join the Sinkie opposition to make it strong, united and ready to be govt?

Anonymous said...

redbean say it is okay for China to rise up and balance the power of USA.

But 70% of Sinkies vote;
It is not okay for WP to rise up and balance the power of PAP.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

China would want to be the Number One super power, to overtake the USA. But China is doing it not by conquest but by financial muscles, in trade and economic development, in infrastructure developments.

The concept of conquering another country by war is obsolete. No country would allow itself to be conquered. The American thinking is still about military might. But see what have they achieved in the Middle East, in Iraq, in Libya, in all the Arab states, in Afghanistan etc etc. The natives would rise to fight the Americans and would not be subdued or ruled by the Americans.

The new blue print is the Chinese version of economic cooperation, development and trade for prosperity and peace. No guns! Have money will travel.

Anonymous said...

This passage from the Chinese text "The Zhuangzi" reminds me of pro American apologists.
As well as PAP and daft Singaporeans:
--------------

They are consumed with anxiety over trivial matters but remain arrogantly oblivious to the things truly worth fearing.
Their words fly from their mouths like crossbow bolts, so sure are they that they know right from wrong.
They cling to their positions as though they had sworn an oath, so sure are they of victory.

Their gradual decline is like autumn fading into winter
— this is how they dwindle day by day.

They drown in what they do
— you cannot make them turn back.

They begin to suffocate, as though sealed up in a box
— this is how they decline into senility.

And as their minds approach death, nothing can cause them to turn back to the light.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzi_%28book%29

Anonymous said...

But 70% of Sinkies vote;
It is not okay for WP to rise up and balance the power of PAP.
Anon 10:21 a.m.

Because WP is not China and PAP is also not USA.

Anonymous said...

China would want to be the Number One super power, to overtake the USA. But China is doing it not by conquest but by financial muscles, in trade and economic development, in infrastructure developments.
RB 10:39 a.m.

Tiok.

But then how come Sinkies don't like the PRCs and other foreign talents in Sinkieland hah? And even RB also sometimes kpkb about them, tio bo?

And are Sinkies also happy with the PRCs and other foreign talents become new citizens? And as new citizens, who do you think they voted for last election, PAP or opposition?

Anonymous said...

Why do you think Sinkies are called daft?

Anonymous said...

Why do you think Sinkies are called daft?
October 24, 2015 11:39 a.m.

Maybe because LKY thinks Sinkies should have voted him out 20 years ago.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Compare to the strategic thinkers, the Brits are top class. They look very far and can see the goodness of cosying up to China, the growth machine of this century.

As for the dull minds of Asean thinkers, they would be very stressed to pit their stupidity with Charles, probably hard fight for who is being duller. How could they understand the depth of British strategic thinking? They would just read the NYT and Washington Post and the famous ST to form their views, not ideas. They have no ideas, just parroting other people's views.

With the British taking the lead, just like AIIB, more aggressive European countries would follow suit to join the China bandwagon. Watch the New Silk Route programme in CNA and listen to what the Kazakhstans are saying and how fast that country is growing in the middle of the desert with Chinese investments. Did Kazakhstan have territorial problems with China, fearing China claiming their land?

simple said...

The Singapore Big Sale is coming but RB already has his BS.

RB, You may have said many right things, but it doesn't give you license to BS all the time. I concede USA is not always good, although it has done lots of things that beneift world security, but you are convinced China is.

Give us 3 good reasons for being unthinkingly pro-PRC which in your book can do no wrong to others and have no devious ambitions. You know for sure, meh?

RB said: "China’s claim on the South China Sea islands is within its historical right and is not the business of the new South East Asian states. It becomes an issue only when these new states started to counter claim these islands as theirs". Wow, such a big BS statement - for historical reasons? Scientists using DNA and other evidence have proven that homo sapiens, of which we are one, all first came from around Ethiopia, AFRICA. So by RB BS logic, Africa can go and claim and colonise all countries based on "historical reasons".
If you don't explain credibly, it just show how BS your views on China are.

By deranged logic, PRC can also claim Singapore as theirs too. Why? Bcos by your logic 1) Chinese traders were in Singapore long before Raffles came. 2) We are now majority Chinese descendants whose forefathers were from China. That makes Singapore part of China for these historical reasons?????? Why not, RB?

You only rely on controversial remarks to sell books for money and to glorify yourself to the disgruntled few.

Anonymous said...

RB, You may have said many right things, but it doesn't give you license to BS all the time.
simple 12:18 p.m.

Please lah, RB is posting every day, sometimes more than 1 post a day, so some BS is inevitable lah. But even if true, it is not nice to use such words as BS to attack others in their blog.

So please be more open minded, understanding, mature and courteous, and also think before making such comments.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:18,

With your kind of stupidity, I bet RB would not waste a second answering to your unthinking snorting.

You need to raise your level of thinking, if you are capable of it. When you open your mouth, you turn yourself into an angry joker instantly, so full of hate.

JayF said...

So Chua believes that Chinese have legit claims over the SCE because the Chinese named them in maritime maps.

So when the Qing banned all maritime activities does this not effectively cede sovereignity over them? The Spanish Portugese and Brits named almost all the islands in the Pacific and Atlantic. It belongs to them.

simple said...

BS = Big Sale ie RB selling us beliefs in a big way. Nothing derogative

My questions to RB are serious and not in jest. Why not listen to what RB have to say on his reasons? Is everyone not curious or interested? Any one who wants people to take his views seriously must back them up.

As I had said, RB have commented on many right things esp on local politics. But his constant thrashing of USA isn't it.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad RB ignores these stooges.

Anonymous said...

Gosh, this Simpleton guy is really so childish. Can you imagine he wrote this as an argument?

'By deranged logic, PRC can also claim Singapore as theirs too. Why? Bcos by your logic 1) Chinese traders were in Singapore long before Raffles came. 2) We are now majority Chinese descendants whose forefathers were from China. That makes Singapore part of China for these historical reasons?????? Why not, RB?'

He is deranged alright. His main fear must be China claiming his mother and that China is his father, by his deranged logic. And he really thinks he is being clever!

Anonymous said...

How stupid can one get!

Anonymous said...

'JayF said...
So Chua believes that Chinese have legit claims over the SCE because the Chinese named them in maritime maps.

So when the Qing banned all maritime activities does this not effectively cede sovereignity over them? The Spanish Portugese and Brits named almost all the islands in the Pacific and Atlantic. It belongs to them.'

Another idiot with deranged arguments and thinking he is clever.

JayF said...

Nah the Chinese can be ruthless and shameless but they are not stupid. The Chinese are aware possesion is 90 percent of the law and are trying to change the facts by building an island.

I am impressed by both the creativity and audacity