The end of US hegemony was always just a question of when not if.
All things must pass. What goes up, must come down. True enough.
But Trump/Putin are hastening the demise of America's dominance and influence around the globe at a speed that may induce world-whiplash. A more gradual waning of US influence might have been in the best interest of most of the earth's population, certainly the West's. I opened with two cliches, and I'll throw in a third: The universe abhors a vacuum. Will what fills this one suit civilization better than the status quo ante?
But Trump/Putin are hastening the demise of America's dominance and influence around the globe at a speed that may induce world-whiplash. A more gradual waning of US influence might have been in the best interest of most of the earth's population, certainly the West's. I opened with two cliches, and I'll throw in a third: The universe abhors a vacuum. Will what fills this one suit civilization better than the status quo ante?
This is part of the Trump strategy to MAGA. It fits with withdrawing from TPP, questioning support for longtime allies in the region etc.
By withdrawing to a fortress America the US will be able to project its power to places such as Coney Island.
By withdrawing to a fortress America the US will be able to project its power to places such as Coney Island.
The Trump presidency has been an enormous loss to America's global clout, and nowhere is that truer than in Asia, the most populated part of the world and a region expected to be the most economically dynamic part of the globe in the coming decades. If we had hoped to influence this region's development in any way, timing was extremely important and it seems the window of opportunity is quickly closing.
The narrow focus of Trump's "America First" policy will in reality do little for the American public, and as Trump's popularity wanes, it's a pity there will be no accompanying rise in advancing America's interests in Asia. The tragedy of our withdrawal from this part of the world will become more obvious as time passes, and it may already be too late to reverse our losses on this continent, even if there was the sudden political will to do so.
The narrow focus of Trump's "America First" policy will in reality do little for the American public, and as Trump's popularity wanes, it's a pity there will be no accompanying rise in advancing America's interests in Asia. The tragedy of our withdrawal from this part of the world will become more obvious as time passes, and it may already be too late to reverse our losses on this continent, even if there was the sudden political will to do so.
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But that's what he was voted in to do. In any event. If we know history - it is unnatural for the US and Europe to be involved there. For centuries Asia was the dominant economic region in the world. Usually China or India was the leader. This is more of a natural rebalance.
India needs to watch out for this. They're already struggling to suppress secessionist movements in east India and China will undoubtedly use their influence in Myanmar to funnel weapons and support to those secessionist groups
The problem with the US losing out to China is that the US relies on the World Bank, which is notorious for attaching restrictive and political conditions to its loans that must be paid back, to fund infrastructure and development projects in these countries and that US' direct foreign aid is mostly concentrated in military and security areas. It does not help now that the Trump administration is proposing cutting back the already paltry State Dept. foreign aid budget.
5
Not that America was effectively advocating for them either, but I wonder to what extent China will care about the plight of the Rohingya, the group of ethnic-minority people who are in such a serious bad condition that I have *never found one of them on the Internet* capable of discussing their lives.
Myanmar claims that these people -- who were often born in the country -- are illegal aliens and have no rights. Myanmar sees them as violent extremists and seems to be more or less okay with mobs led by Buddhist monks occasionally cutting off the heads of Rohingya people, and they cite as explanation that the Rohingya people can also be violent. Frankly to an outsider it is baffling. And Aung San Suu Kyi is silent on the issue.
What will America do? What should the world do? What -- oh boy -- will China do?
Myanmar claims that these people -- who were often born in the country -- are illegal aliens and have no rights. Myanmar sees them as violent extremists and seems to be more or less okay with mobs led by Buddhist monks occasionally cutting off the heads of Rohingya people, and they cite as explanation that the Rohingya people can also be violent. Frankly to an outsider it is baffling. And Aung San Suu Kyi is silent on the issue.
What will America do? What should the world do? What -- oh boy -- will China do?
“Myanmar’s opening had been considered an American victory, but Beijing is bringing it into the fold with money and diplomacy.” This IS the legacy of the most incompetent president we ever had.
KEEP AMERICA GREAT
DUMP HIM
KEEP AMERICA GREAT
DUMP HIM
The Republican mantra post 1949, was the Democrats lost China, well now a smaller shoe is on their foot, Trump, who gave away Burma.
1
China on the move. Impressive. Can do many things. Hope it does not turn into negative, abuse thing as always. Another step for mankind would be a plus. The Trump government: doubt if they know where Myanmar is? May not know it is a country. Possible they think it is a kind of stew.
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See it is like this folks for decades while the US has been conducting one war after another the Chinese were buying friends up. What is going to end up happening all those countries we have overthrown will end up going into China camp you mark my words. We are reaping what we have sown maybe next time America stop bombing countries for your own greedy purposes and buy friends with trade.
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I am not a believer in traditional "Chinese imperialism", but the intentional spreading of democracy into Myanmar should be treated as an international crime. It is an ideological attack on normal human hierarchies, and doesn't even work in the western countries where it is practiced. Despite her rhetoric, Aung San Suu Kyi should continue to apply an authoritarian style government in practice.
Despite your heading, Myanmar's newfound relation with China is not really about China, but more of a symbolic return to Asia, a return to humanity, and a pivot away from the west and its emotionally based values. The rest of the world needs to follow suit.
Despite your heading, Myanmar's newfound relation with China is not really about China, but more of a symbolic return to Asia, a return to humanity, and a pivot away from the west and its emotionally based values. The rest of the world needs to follow suit.
1
China’s Propaganda Office, in a report entitled “The Current Situation on the Ideological Front,” has produced a list of “7 banned topics” considered “dangerous Western Influences,” that cannot be discussed in public gatherings or university settings. The dangerous topics include: Universal Values, Freedom of Speech, Civil Society, Civil Rights, Historical Errors of the Chinese Communist Party, China’s Crony Capitalism, and Judicial Independence. The ideological “attack” is not coming from democracies, but from the very dictatorship that retains an iron-clad grip on dissent, who fear a loss of their own power, privilege and position.
1
"A return to Asia, a return to humanity. . . "
Ryan Wei's words echo those of the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" propaganda employed by Japan to subjugate other Asians, including Chinese, during the Pacific War.
We all know how that turned out.
Ryan Wei's words echo those of the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" propaganda employed by Japan to subjugate other Asians, including Chinese, during the Pacific War.
We all know how that turned out.
America is shooting itself in the foot if it backs away from its active interest, under President Obama, which we had grown closer to, based on our previous concerns about Human Rights. Trump is merely showing his incompetence, by not maintaining our previous close ties.
China, for such a large, populous nation, has very little coastline of its own. It has long coveted a major role in Myanmar, in order to build a pipeline to expedite the safe passage of its oil from the Persian Gulf. It would also enable it to bypass the major chokepoint to seagoing commerce--the Strait of Malacca, which is located between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Donald, have someone read a map of the Eastern Indian Ocean/ South China Seas!
https://thetruthoncommonsense.com
China, for such a large, populous nation, has very little coastline of its own. It has long coveted a major role in Myanmar, in order to build a pipeline to expedite the safe passage of its oil from the Persian Gulf. It would also enable it to bypass the major chokepoint to seagoing commerce--the Strait of Malacca, which is located between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Donald, have someone read a map of the Eastern Indian Ocean/ South China Seas!
https://thetruthoncommonsense.com
2
Like it or not, the Asia-Pacific region is returning in some ways to what it was like before China imploded in the 19th century and found itself unable to stop European, American, and then Japanese imperialists from making inroads around and then eventually into China proper itself.
Myanmar (or Burma) is a case in point. Before the British finally subjugated all native kingdoms and states in 1886 and turned it into something worse than a colony (namely a colony of a colony, as Burma was ruled as an appendage of British India until 1937 when it was broken off as a separately ruled colony), Burma had been a de facto tributary state of Qing Dynasty China. Its leaders weren't quite as obsequious as the ones in Korea, but the Burmese knew what things they had to do while sharing a land border with the world's most populous empire.
Myanmar today shares a lengthy land border with China. The only way faraway countries like the U.S. and Japan will be able to have more influence than China in today's Myanmar is if China implodes again the way it did starting some 200 years ago. Does anybody really wish to see such a thing happen?
Myanmar (or Burma) is a case in point. Before the British finally subjugated all native kingdoms and states in 1886 and turned it into something worse than a colony (namely a colony of a colony, as Burma was ruled as an appendage of British India until 1937 when it was broken off as a separately ruled colony), Burma had been a de facto tributary state of Qing Dynasty China. Its leaders weren't quite as obsequious as the ones in Korea, but the Burmese knew what things they had to do while sharing a land border with the world's most populous empire.
Myanmar today shares a lengthy land border with China. The only way faraway countries like the U.S. and Japan will be able to have more influence than China in today's Myanmar is if China implodes again the way it did starting some 200 years ago. Does anybody really wish to see such a thing happen?
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You are correct! Unfortunately most of us have no view if history other than Greco Roman. The fact is China had influence in those nations long before knew they existed and certainly before they knew there was a continent across the Atlantic.
The fact is the only reason the US got involved in those countries is because Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Had they not - Japan would have kept up their cruelty on those small Asian nations.
To your last sentence - scarily there are many people in our nation who want to see it happen. It appears many still have the ego of imperialism. If China is keeping the peace there - we should be happy.
The fact is the only reason the US got involved in those countries is because Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Had they not - Japan would have kept up their cruelty on those small Asian nations.
To your last sentence - scarily there are many people in our nation who want to see it happen. It appears many still have the ego of imperialism. If China is keeping the peace there - we should be happy.
3
Donald Trump: The gift that keeps on giving...to China, Iran, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
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Well - like him or not - he was partly elected because he ran in a platform of stop wasting taxpayer money on our Cold War imperialist tendencies - which fuel the military industrial complex.
2
This is what Trump's voters wanted - America's retreat from the world and China and Russia to become the world powers.
America will now take its proper place amongst countries like Bolivia.
So this article must be good news.
America will now take its proper place amongst countries like Bolivia.
So this article must be good news.
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I fail to see how we can make America great by retreating from the world stage, but I'm sure Trump voters know better. /sarcasm
1
With competence and fateful speed.
But trusting the wile
Of such a reptile
Will just make it eager to feed.