Sure these other countries are watching how far they can push the envelope. China is the key for N. Korea.....they aren't going to help us with them and we can't have talks with N. Korea or stop them from launching missiles.....but China can. And what does China fear most........a Japan with nukes. In terms of us working with China and N. Korea.....it's about leverage. Arming Japan is our only leverage.......we have to use it to get China to act against their friend N. Korea.
No. At this point they are more worried about not having an American market to trade with. Arming Japan is not our only option, although it is a good one. We could stop practicing free trade with China. Then the people in the Chinese cities would get all restless and start clamoring for democracy again.
Japan is very well-armed, they just need many more forces mobilized. They fly F-15s, which they build themselves, and Aegis cruisers with the latest radar and missile technology. They could be militarily powerful, as they demonstated in the early 20th century, but Japan is a pacifist country since WWII and their constitution forbids offensive military action. Of course, the times they are a changin'. North Korea has them spooked. As the only country to have ever been attacked with nuclear weapons, they feel very strongly about it. We may see Japan expanding its military to counter North Korea. Japan will never arm itself with nuclear weapons, they've gone down another road. But I wouldn't be surprised to see Japan field more naval vessels, combat aircraft, and GPS-guided missiles soon.
I haven't read this whole thread, but I think some here are overestimating how China views their reliance on us economically. Yes, we are a big part of their economy for trading etc, but they view us as more of a hinderence to their dominance than a helper. For that reason, I think you might not fully realize the incentive China would see in having us go down. Despite Clinton's efforts, China is not our ally.
China is our principal competitor and the only nation with potential to become a rival superpower. They ain't there yet but they are focused on that goal. Their economy will pass ours as the world biggest in the next ten years. Their ambitions are large. But there is some co-dependence between us and the Chinese. We need cheap Chinese goods and they need wealth. If a war stopped trade with China, US inflation would go through the roof as the price of everything skyrockets. It would take years to find alternative sources of items we no longer produce in Mexico, South America and elsewhere. But the Chinese economy would collapse in a war with the US. Not only would the flow of dollars from the US stop, but China has no navy that can compete with ours in the open ocean. They could not stop a US naval blockade from halting all shipment of oil, eros, and dollars from around the world into China. China would be in a pickle and there would not be much they could do about it--unless Russia throws in with them. We must drive a wedge between China and Russia at all costs.
We are still in the better position here. We could amp up trade with India to replace Chinese goods. India would love to take China's place on our trade sheet, and Indian officials have stated this publically. There would be a period of inflation, but it would eventually be counteracted by more domestic production and increased trade with other countries. As you mention China cannot become the superpower it wants to be without the U.S.
In terms of what, real GDP? I don't think so. Collapse is a bit strong, but it would certainly hurt them badly. But I wasn't really talking about the practicallity of the situation, more so their view on the matter. And they think we are a hinder to them. They think they can develop their own wealth to substitute for the American wealth they rely on and that by America going down, they have the best chance of stepping up to become the world's economic superpower. Because basically every country relies on us - so every country would feel the hit, and the Chinese govt could borrow itself into dominance.
It's the same old tactics the mob used in Chicago, they are shaking us down for protection money. Give us money and we'll protect you, from us. The question is will we fall for it? :dis:
