Xi: Broken Heads & Bloodshed, page-80

Hi Strangelove,
Have a listen to the above video clip (you'll recognise the interviewer)

IMO rather than simply label perceived enemies and summarily dismiss them as being
totally evil/corrupt/warmongers it is best to first consider history in a broader sense
and then consider the nub of the apparent conflict.

The USA has been the Global Hedgemon since WW2 because it got into the War
at a time when it could concentrate on Japan culminating on the nuking of Hiroshima & Nagasaki
and then relying on its ideological enemy (USSR/Communism) to defeat Germany
on the Eastern Front & then do a year's campaign against a weakened Germany on the Western front.

Unlike the other participants in WW2 it did not have any domestic war damage except Pearl Harbour
and its Government financed/led war industries lifted it out of its self inflicted Depression and caterpulleted
its economy into the 50s & 60s .

The Bretton Woods deal positioned the USA as the Global Hedgemon economically and positioned
the Greenback as the defacto global currency which was the springboard for US corporations to
go global (Globalisation). This is what's called the " New World Order"

A post WW2 Nuclear USSR challenged this "New World Order" resulting in the Cold War which
the USA subsequently won with the economic collapse of the USSR and its divesting of
its satellite States.

This made the USA the Global policeman virtually unopposed

The Push Back:

Russia: Russia reclaimed Crimea & has ambitions to secure a landbridge to its Baltic Port of Kalingrad via Belarus & Baltic
States which it relinquished in the early 90s.

China: China with its growing trade & industrial muscle (40% of Global markets in both)* is now consolidating that
won lions share of global markets and it building transport transport routes for both supply & delivery with
mainland China as hub. China sees its chief threat as growing economic sanctions by the USA (the counter USSR strategy)
which before a kinetic war may be an all out blockade on China by the USA & its allies.
Hence the artificial islands, BRI supply routes via Myanmar, & Pakstan to avoid the easily lockable Malaca Strait
and Military/Naval outposts in Jibuti & in Gwadar ,Southern Pakistan ; both close to the blockable Starait of Hormuz
and it has aligned itself with Egypt by building a second leg to he Suez Canal & a New Egyptian Capital nearby.
Add to that its E/W railway & Highway grid to Europe and the BRI US proof Transport network is complete.
( A mega sea & land version of Hitler's Autobahns)

This is China's push back on the USA & its strategy to prevent the USA from implementing a Trade blockade
to economically implode China & debunk the CCP.

Which gets us back to Graham Allison's thesis above: Can the USA & China avoid the Thucydidis Trap
when 12 out of 16 such conflicts in the past 500 years resulted in War?

For better or worse we have put our National Security before our short term economic interests in
backing the USA to economically wreck China, split it up (ala the USSR) and debunk the CCP.

IMO , this is why Xi has used such aggressive language recently and why China has imposed economic sanctions
on us ; it, XI & the CCP is fighting for their lives . Just imagine if an external power surrounded Aus with Subs,
warships & 24/7 warplanes in the air with Starwars overhead & threatened to economically wreck Aus,
split the country up & debunk out Government & our democratic institutions & processes , how would you be?

IMO those on China who support it as is are in a similar political pucker.

Should we have grown our hat in the US ring at this early stage?
Who knows because we dont know how this conflict will eventually an out.
Given that we are now vulnerable to a Nuke attack because of overtly backing the USA,
IMO, we should be building a missile defence system to at least protect us from
a first strike rather than just allowing the US making us a target by using the NT
as an Asian beach head. IMO it should be a package deal.

Of course the solution is that every country lives within its own territorial waters/borders
and that the seas & oceans are free of warships & subs , our international airspace
including Space is clear of warplanes & war satellites but of course the snag is
who /what would be the policeman? This would be a proper day job for God, IMO.

* The British Empire became the global Hedgemon because of its industrial might
and the pound stirling became the global reserve currency up to WW2.
IMO, China's industrial & trade rise puts it fairly and squarely in British footsteps.
Both Germany & Japan had heir moment in the industry sun post WW2 but unlike
China, they were prohibited by the USA to develop militarily.

All IMO only