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TMFMmbop (95.20)

Jim Webb Fears China?

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August 26, 2009 – Comments (4)

An interesting editorial from the VA senator in today's NY Times: We Can’t Afford to Ignore Myanmar. He seems legitimately afraid of China building an axis of power in SE Asia. See here:

Sanctions by Western governments have not been matched by other countries, particularly Russia and China. Indeed, they have allowed China to dramatically increase its economic and political influence in Myanmar, furthering a dangerous strategic imbalance in the region.

Or here:

If Chinese commercial influence in Myanmar continues to grow, a military presence could easily follow.

Or here:

Third, our government leaders should call on China to end its silence about the situation in Myanmar, and to act responsibly, in keeping with its role as an ascending world power. Americans should not hold their collective breaths that China will give up the huge strategic advantage it has gained as a result of our current policies.

Let's be honest. China is after resources, not a strategic military base to attack the US. So I'm not sure if Webb actually believes this angle or is playing it in support of his agenda because he knows that many Americans do believe that China wants to be a military threat to the US.

4 Comments – Post Your Own

#1) On August 26, 2009 at 10:31 AM, brickcityman (< 20) wrote:

And you don't think a war over resources is possible, or as some would argue inevitable?

 

I would guess that second only to religion resources are one of the leading causes of armed conflict throughout human history.

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#2) On August 26, 2009 at 10:38 AM, TMFMmbop (95.20) wrote:

A fair point, but I'm not sure China wants to get in a war with the US given the state of their military compared to ours.

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#3) On August 26, 2009 at 10:41 AM, brickcityman (< 20) wrote:

Nobody starts out wanting to go to war (exception granted in the case of religion).

 

These sorts of conflicts evolve over time, and one could hardly argue that China is not showing any interest in developing better defensive/offensive capabilities.

 

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#4) On August 26, 2009 at 11:52 AM, russiangambit (29.98) wrote:

 >Let's be honest. China is after resources, not a strategic military base to attack the US.

Land and water are also resources. I can tell you that Russia with its dying off population and huge expanses of unpopulated land is very afraid of China. The US doesn't have to worry about it because it is across the ocean. But if US gets much further in debt to the chinese, it might not have much say when China starts buying its land and resources in masse.

If  US dimplomats were realists instead of ideologues they would've expoited this russian fear of China to ally them with US interests instead of supporting the chines just to psite the US.

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