The Next Sino-Japanese War

By Aussiegirl

A good introduction to another potential crisis that gets little attention.

FrontPage magazine.com :: The Next Sino-Japanese War by Lt. Col. Gordon Cucullu

The Next Sino-Japanese War
By Lt. Col. Gordon Cucullu

If observers bother to look at threats in Northeast Asia at all in these days of exploding Middle Eastern terrorism, they usually focus on North Korea. While critically important, North Korea is today’s problem. The situation there will likely be solved during our lifetimes. But the long-term threat to peace and stability in the region has deeper historical roots. Comparatively speaking North Korea is young, only in existence since 1945. While that may seem forever to the historically challenged, it is smoke in the wind compared to the centuries-old enmity that persists between Japan and China. And that hostility, never far below the surface, has become more open of late. [....]

While the chance of open hostilities between China and Japan are thankfully slim at the moment, the caustic bitterness and mutual sarcasm both sides have been using publicly has slipped the bonds of the oily diplomatic speech we usually hear, particularly among Asian power. [....]

It is increasingly clear, however, that tensions between the two are rising. Aso leveled a harsh accusation at China, calling the Beijing government a “military threat,” primarily for the level of spending that China has devoted to arming itself. This armament has included development of weapons systems – such as blue water navy, space, and long range air – that lend themselves more to aggressive than defensive purposes. Other analysts, such as CIA Director Porter Goss, agree that the Chinese military forces “threaten” U.S. and allied interests. Not all U.S. officials agree.

Predictably, entrenched State Department officials – chronically sycophantic towards China – refuse to label the Peoples Republic of China a threat. As reported by Washington Times’ Bill Gertz, they “consider China a non-threatening state that will evolve into a benign power through trade and other global economic interaction.” Across the river at Defense Secretary Rumsfeld is more cautious, insisting that a recently – released Pentagon strategy report “include references to China's military buildup and the need for the U.S. military to respond to it.”

While it is unlikely that China-Japan or America-China issues will grow to crisis proportions overnight, we would be foolish to ignore festering problems and growing military capabilities because of what many might consider legitimate distractions elsewhere in the global fight. America is capable of walking and chewing gum simultaneously, but also has a history of ignoring problems till they explode in our face. A necessary first step is a long-overdue housecleaning at State, CIA, and other agencies who continue to pamper Beijing.