Quote Originally Posted by Dayuhan View Post
I referred, quite specifically, to NE Asia, not to the world. The US should protect foreign interests where it has foreign iterests to protect. I questioned what the US interest was in maintaining large force deployments in NE Asia.
An you don't think the US has a strategic interest as the worlds largest economy in the busiest trade route in the world? Or didn't you know this before you suggested the US just pack up and go home?

Yes, I'm well aware of that; it's neighborhood business. How much of that trade involves the US? And since when was the South China Sea part of NE Asia? Which area are you talking about?
Have a look at a map, google a bit and then work out the importance for yourself.

When you affix 'I believe', 'in my opinion' and 'IMHO' to your sweeping statements about humiliation, incompetence, stupidity, etc, I shall gladly do the same.
I never make the pretense that I speak for anyone other than myself. Please do the same.

You've yet to give a good reason why the US should not be looking to ramp down its presence in NE Asia and ask Japan and Korea to take more responsibility for their own defense.
One reason is the U.S. and Japan Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement. How does the US get out of this?

Then there is the unfinished business around the 38th Parallel, then a little down to the South West we have Taiwan. What to do about that?

I have some money on that the US is going to walk away from Taiwan. Please tell me when that is going to happen I could do with the bucks right now.