Dude, that was in 2005, do you know US and Indonesia are Strategic Partner during the 1970?
Things change, and if Indonesia did not invade East Timor back in the 90s, Indonesia would have continue to be US partner since their inception. Don't forget Indonesia have had it share of Anti-Chinese movement.
They can do lots of things. Just as folks in Fellujah did when the US almost leveled the city. Desperate people do amazing things. The US finally signed an agreement with Muqtada al Sadr and saved its back.
But this did not finish the US off. Signing agreement with Taleban and leaving Afghanistan was embarrassing but did little dent to US power.
LOL, that is a good way to rewrite history.
I was there in Fallujah in 2004, there were
NO AGREEMENT between US force and al-Sadr. They attack our convoy in and out of BIAP, but we held on the perimeter and the tank of 1st Cav Division (My parental Unit) crush the Al-Sadr troop. Basically left him useless nor able to serve in any capacity for the insurgent.
Sadr was not in the capture and kill list because he voluntarily left the Iraqi Parliament and not to elect himself into any sort of power brokage position. Basically the Iraqi Government betrayed him by removing him and his trusted minister to Sadr party in 2007. Leaving him no leverage at all during US occupation.
US did not leave Afghanistan, nor did it sign any agreement with Taliban, the ISAF occupation have change to Operation Resolute Support upon the NATO deadline of ISAF decommission began Dec 2014.
I don't know where you get the news in the middle east.
Vietnam and Philippines can do zilch to China. If they fire first, they are finished off. Unless they do not fire, China will just expand through construction.
lol you also do realise China can do zilch to Philippine and Vietnam, right? And right now Vietnam and Philippine have more island in SCS than China.
In the end, you will only see Vietnam and Philippine both reclaim their island with help from Japan and US.
Do not have to be different except that China will not be stepping over other people's land.
lol, that's the point of "using force to settle dispute" that's the same as stepping over other people's land
That's more than it. Greater economic cooperation means they will not easily side with this or that country against another country. This particularly so if the countries border each other and business potential is immense.
Umm, wrong again.
I will have to admire your naivety, if you actually think money change political environment, lol
You think when you pump enough money, those country will just do what you say? Do you realise in real world, the world we live in, those country will just take your money and say thank you and move on?
Again and again, we see US, Japan dump money on some other nation only to be betrayed by them, and you think China can be any different??
It is Koreans to decide. But, it does not also mean that US can use Korea as a launching pod to attack or harm China.
First of all, the reason for US troop stationed in Republic of Korea is not because of China, but North Korea.
And second of all, those are US BASES, the US can do what they want as they are not leasing those base like in the UK or in Philippine before 1992. Those base in Korea belong to the US, as part of United State Force in Korea. So, no one, not even South Korean, can tell the US what to do with their bases. If the US choose to attack China via or in support with those base in South Korea, Republic of Korean government cannot do anything about it.
That's a good thing, actually. The aim is to ensure that Chinese product would not be cheap anymore.
Then Chinese product will not have a large customer base overseas, which is a bad
Indeed, it may happen. That's the reason one need to balance geostrategic and economic policy. Hence China has New Development Bank and all other schemes on the one hand. And island genesis program on the other. Military can never be the only diplomacy. In fact, it should be the last tool for diplomacy, always looming large as a stick but almost never used.
Good point, but this is a point where it almost entirely lost with your compadre
That's the beauty of international law. It is like a net. Strong countries can pierce through. Small ones are caught.
Actually no, and this is dangerous to think strong can get away with everything. US uses a loophole within the law, not "bending" the law like your fellow member suggested
If you can find a loophole and support your clause, then good on you, but if you think no one can challenge you only because you are strong, then you are wrong.
In fact Iraq was a stronger country with a more developed society and social system. If you expose Pinoys to the same type of sanctions, they will start to rot in no time. China can get away with anything, the question is, would China really do that. It is a matter of priorities.
lol, first of all, Iraq is shit compare to Philippine in 2003. I would have agree if you are talking about Iraq in 1990s but in 2003, Iraq is a broken country. Again, I was there, I know.
It take the US exactly 43 days to conquer Iraq during the offensive in 2003. And no if you think China can get away with anything like the US then you should probably think again. Even US need a coalition to mess around, who do you have in China to support you and follow China to war, no question asked?
If you want a war with Philippine, you better prepare for it, not just sweet talk in here, and I know for a fact that War are not as easy as you say. You may think you can do probably anything, but in war, and you go in alone, that is a good way to get beat up.