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Note: I'm not making a political argument either way here, just a quick aside about the development of the world over the last 70 years. Since the end of WW2 t

Note: I'm not making a political argument either way here, just a quick aside about the development of the world over the last 70 years. Since the end of WW2 the U.S. has become, for better or worse, the world's stabilizing agent. Of course there are peaks and valleys - argue all you want about American intervention in the Middle East or South America - but broadly speaking world governments expect America to take care of business. Huge swaths of modern society depend on the U.S. being a (relatively) honest broker and protector of "peace" - two notable examples of which, in fact, are Japan and Taiwan. The latter very arguably remains independent today thanks to American protection. If China chose to claim exclusive rights to the South China Sea tomorrow, it's unlikely that Japan or Taiwan or Vietnam or any coalition of coastal nations together - without American or pan-European support - could push back successfully. All of this is shifting, of course, as nationalist movements gain momentum and confidence in America wanes but for the moment (and the immediate future), this is the world we live in.

xkcd-sucks 8y ago
It's also worth remembering that USA contributed to postwar reconstruction under informal, and sometimes formal, agreements that the nations would outsource their military operations. Japan does not have a "true" military to this day, and Taiwan never developed or acquired nuclear weapons. This is at the request of USA, paid for in protection.
- CapricornNoble 8y ago
  That whole perception of Japan not having a military is just a technicality.....their "Maritime Self-Defense Force" is easily the 3rd largest and most powerful navy in the Pacific (after the US and China). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Japan_Maritime_Self-Defense_Force_ships https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Japan_Maritime_... The "Air Self-Defense Force" has more combat jets that the UK's Royal Air Force, and almost as many as the mighty Israeli Air Force. The Japanese are just postured exclusively for national defense and territorial integrity....which many people don't realize includes the ability of executing credible counter-offensives to liberate lost territory. I would argue that until the past ~5-10 years or so, the Chinese stood no chance in a big fight out here in the First Island Chain. The qualitative AND quantitative differences between the Chinese and Japanese hardware were just that large.
rchaud 8y ago
> but broadly speaking world governments expect America to take care of business. This is only true of Japan, who as part of the WW2 reconstruction, agreed to draw up a pacifist constitution and receive protection from the US against threats in the Cold War era. Asian leaders have "taken care of" plenty of business using US training, money and technology. Sukarno's regime in Indonesia killed 500k-1000k people alone in anti-communist purges in 1965-66. Back in those days, you could say the words "they'll nationalize the oil fields" and the US would come-a-runnin'.

xkcd-sucks 8y ago

It's also worth remembering that USA contributed to postwar reconstruction under informal, and sometimes formal, agreements that the nations would outsource their military operations. Japan does not have a "true" military to this day, and Taiwan never developed or acquired nuclear weapons. This is at the request of USA, paid for in protection.

CapricornNoble 8y ago
That whole perception of Japan not having a military is just a technicality.....their "Maritime Self-Defense Force" is easily the 3rd largest and most powerful navy in the Pacific (after the US and China). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Japan_Maritime_Self-Defense_Force_ships https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Japan_Maritime_... The "Air Self-Defense Force" has more combat jets that the UK's Royal Air Force, and almost as many as the mighty Israeli Air Force. The Japanese are just postured exclusively for national defense and territorial integrity....which many people don't realize includes the ability of executing credible counter-offensives to liberate lost territory. I would argue that until the past ~5-10 years or so, the Chinese stood no chance in a big fight out here in the First Island Chain. The qualitative AND quantitative differences between the Chinese and Japanese hardware were just that large.

rchaud 8y ago

> but broadly speaking world governments expect America to take care of business. This is only true of Japan, who as part of the WW2 reconstruction, agreed to draw up a pacifist constitution and receive protection from the US against threats in the Cold War era. Asian leaders have "taken care of" plenty of business using US training, money and technology. Sukarno's regime in Indonesia killed 500k-1000k people alone in anti-communist purges in 1965-66. Back in those days, you could say the words "they'll nationalize the oil fields" and the US would come-a-runnin'.