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Things are changing!
I wouldn't say there's no strategic value, but for the US at least I'd agree that the strategic imperative lies more in what the US hopes to avoid and prevent rather than in any concrete prospect for gain. Of course other players have their own strategic imperatives, and perceptions of those imperatives can change. For China, I'd guess the desire to have naval basing in the Indian Ocean and thus the ability to project power and protect their trade there is far more important than any direct pipeline or road through Pakistan or Afghanistan. The amount of oil imports and goods export that pass that sea route - and are subject to interference along that route - vastly exceeds any imaginable overland capacity.
No real need to wean Vietnam or other SEA countries from China... they have no illusions about what the Chinese are up to. I see no real need for the US to "contain" China or even to frame China as an adversary... certainly the idea of geographical containment seems pretty passe and largely inappropriate. But of course that is my opinion and I don't speak for the US, where sinophobia has a long and rich tradition.
Not sure I agree with that. It seems to me that the large US presence in Afghanistan actually decreases US leverage over Pakistan and allows the Pakistanis to be far more demanding and less cooperative than they might otherwise have to be. As long as the US needs that overland supply route to support their forces, their ability to pressure Pakistan is hugely constrained. If the US presence were reduced to a level supportable by air from the north the US position vis a vis Pakistan would be far more flexible. More force doesn't always mean more influence.
I'm not sure how much of a constraint the US presence in Afghanistan poses on Pakistani operations against India.,, and the US won't be in Afghanistan forever, and Afghanistan will not be stable when the US leaves. These are givens that must sooner or later be dealt with. I'm not sure that drawing out the process will make dealing with those givens any easier.
Hard to say how much of the Pakistan-Russia talk is serious, and how much is show. Certainly the Pakistanis have an incentive to show some leg to another suitor at this point, to show the US that they aren't the only game in town. How far that goes is open to question. I have a hard time seeing Russia and China as part of any "nexus" that goes beyond transient convenience.
They have to be. The US doesn't want to side with either, and will continue to deal with both. The issues between the two are their own. The US will urge peaceful resolution - and I doubt very much that China intends to push any of it's issues with India to the point of war - and try to mediate.
They use the same methods that proved successful in modernizing their industries. Before we assume that China is solely "hegemonic", it's good to remember that there's also a lot of fear and a bit of an inferiority complex, a fear of not being taken seriously, on that side. The sophisticated force is as much a way a forcing their way into the top table than a direct threat to anyone... always recall that the status quo is being very good to China, and they are not fundamentally inclined to rock boats. Jockey for position, yes, upset the applecart, no.
The US is always to some degree concerned, and there is always heavy rhetoric. Wouldn't want to read too much into that.
China is pragmatic. They have interests in the area, but they are not compelling or urgent ones. They are ok with the US presence, but they don't need it. If the US is there, they will try to turn that to their advantage. If the US leaves, they will watch what happens and try to turn that to their advantage.
I wouldn't cite the CNAS report as something I fully agree with, though I agree with some of it. It does have value as a window onto what establishment, "inside the Beltway" US policy types are thinking.
Last edited by Dayuhan; 05-30-2011 at 06:58 AM.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/st.../1/139527.html
Things are changing!
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