Its been two weeks since the rather bizarre incident of the assassination of Kim Jong Nam took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Initially, reports of the assassination were confusing with conflicting versions, everything from how it was executed to who was involved. But now, it seems, after two weeks we are finally hearing some things that appear to be more or less solid information.
There appears to be no doubt now that the two women, the Indonesian Siti Aisyah and the Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong were the assassins. There is also no doubt at this point that they were fully aware of what they were doing, despite their claim that they were "duped" into believing it was all a reality prank TV show. They had practiced the act several times prior to the actual killing, so they knew what they were doing! They are to be sentenced tomorrow, and at this point it is moot as to whether they will receive a long term sentence or a death sentence. In either case, they are going to be severely punished. It is also apparent at this point that most of the intelligence on the case emerged from the South Korean National Intelligence Service, the NIS. It is the NIS (formerly known as KCIA or Korean Central Intelligence Agency) that has been releasing the more important details and no doubt providing information to the Malaysian authorities.
According to NIS, this act was completely sponsored and carried out by North Korean government. All of the North Korean participants were either members of the North Korean Ministry of State Security (their version of the Soviet KGB), or members of their diplomatic corps in Malaysia! The poison that was used, the VX nerve agent is something that North Korea is reputed to have in vast quantities, stored in secret locations all over North Korea. It is possibly the deadliest chemical agent that there is, and North Korea has thousands of tons of it! In fact, they have been secretly supplying (selling) some of the Middle Eastern countries with this WMD. Saddam Hussein used the same VX nerve agent when he launched a chemical attack against the Kurds and wiped out a whole town! Saddam Hussein was a big fan of North Korean weapons. He purchased not only the VX nerve agent but SCUD missiles from North Korea. Assad of Syria has used the very same VX agent in his war against the opposition, also acquired from North Korea! So it is not difficult to see the danger of North Korea possessing such large quantities of this WMD.
North Korea is not only perfectly capable of using it themselves, but they are willing to sell it to anyone willing to pay! The world has been somewhat blinded by all the talk about North Korea's nuclear capability. But their possession of such large quantity of chemical weapons is even more dangerous than the nuclear devices that they are producing. It takes but a tiny bit of the VX agent to wipe out a whole population in a town or a city, as Saddam Hussein had demonstrated. With their new missile capabilities, they don't have to launch nuclear devices to cause horrible deaths, just a bit of the VX agent would do as much harm! What happened to Kim Jong Nam is a perfect illustration of what North Koreans are capable of doing with their chemical weapons!
The assassination of Kim Jong Nam was no doubt triggered by the fact that his half brother Kim Jong Un feared that he would team up with the Chinese to replace him. In 2013, Kim Jong Un had his uncle Jang Song Thaek executed, followed by his entire family going back three generations on that side! Jang Song Thaek was considered to be number two power in North Korea at that time, and he was very pro Chinese. The Chinese viewed him as a sort of a moderate, compared to his unpredictable nephew, and Jang always sided with the Chinese practically on all issues. Kim Jong Un used that as an excuse or claim that his uncle had "betrayed" North Korea and had him executed. Kim Jong Nam was also pro Chinese, and after the death of Jang, the Chinese saw Kim Jong Nam as their only possibility for a replacement of the crazy Kim Jong Un. Kim Jong Un knew this, and despite the fact that Kim Jong Nam had no interest in taking his place, he had him assassinated after two prior failed attempts.
If you go back in history, to 1940, you will find that Stalin had Leon Trotsky assassinated in Mexico. Trotsky had been a key figure in the establishment of the Soviet Union. He was Lenin's right hand man and responsible for many things, like the creation of OGPU which became KGB in later years. Trotsky was responsible for setting up just about all of the major agencies of the Soviet government and wielded tremendous power and influence. But after the death of Lenin and Stalin's rise to power, Trotsky knew that his time was very limited, so he fled and hid out in Mexico. He was no longer any threat to Stalin, there was no way that he could have returned to Russia to reclaim his power. But Stalin, like Kim Jong Un today, would not even consider looking the other way. He had his agents track Trotsky down to a flea-bag hotel in Coyoacan, Mexico where he was brutally murdered with a hatchet! So, Kim Jong Un carrying out his vendetta against his half brother is nothing new nor surprising, it is Stalin-Trotsky all over again, except now it is with a more sophisticated weapon, a VX nerve agent rather than a common hatchet bought from a Mexican hardware store!
I don't know about you, but the thought of that crazy Kim Jong Un in possession of all those chemical weapons scares me even more than the fact that he has nuclear devices! Like everyone else, I had forgotten about his huge stockpile of chemical weapons. This whole business with nuclear weapons had completely drawn my attention away. But now, with this latest assassination, I am once again reminded of North Korea's stockpile of "other" WMD, the chemical weapons! North Korea and Kim Jong Un are a far bigger problem than most of us realize. In many ways, Kim Jong Un and North Korea are the biggest problem to world security today. All those Islamic terror groups pale in comparison!
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Alien Abductions....or North Korean?
Most people in America are aware how looney North Korean government can be. Their leaders, beginning with Kim Il Song, the so-called founder of the North Korean state, have done some crazy things, past and present. Kim Il Song himself was not quite as crazy as his progeny, although he did launch the attack that started the Korean War which cost him dearly. He has also carried out some horrible purges, killing and imprisoning thousands of "enemies of the state!" But his actions seem rather tame compared to his son's, Kim Jong Ill, and grandson's Kim Jong Un. The latest bizarre saga of the assassination of Kim Jong Nam is but an example of the tradition carried on by the Kim family.
Kim Jong Il, the father of Kim Jong Un and the assassinated Kim Jong Nam, was as crazy as his youngest son. He showed a wild and unpredictable, violent streak early on. As I have mentioned in other blogs, he is the prime suspect in the death of his younger brother back in 1948, who presumably drowned in the family pool. From that point on, there were series of bizarre and unexplained violent incidents that took place that were either hushed up or simply ignored. Kim Jong Il first came to the attention of the outside world when he engineered some incredibly reckless attacks on U.S. and South Korean forces. As the head of the Special Operations of North Korea, one of the titles that he held, he launched several attacks along the DMZ. He then ordered a commando raid on South Korean Blue House, the presidential palace. This was followed by the ax murder of two U.S. officers at the Panmunjom neutral site. It seemed like there was no end to his wild and crazy activities. His father, Kim Il Song, was very much disturbed by this and ordered a stop to it, forbid him to carry out any more military actions. So, at this point he switched to more clandestine activity. North Korea developed a special section in their government that specialized in one activity, kidnapping.
Being a closed society, a true "hermit kingdom," the only way that they could acquire what they needed was by force or illegal means. North Korea at that time decided to go on a campaign to develop better Japanese linguists. They are firm believers in native speakers as being the best teachers, so a rash of kidnappings of Japanese citizens took place in 1977. A total of known 13 Japanese were kidnapped by North Koreans ranging anywhere from a 13 year old girl to men and women in their 20s and 30s. These people just disappeared, as if they were abducted by aliens from outer space! The abduction of Japanese from a remote town is one thing, but the abduction of South Korea's most famous movie director and his movie star wife is another thing.
Kim Jong Il was a great movie fan and was reputed to have had one of the largest private movie libraries found anywhere. He had somewhat of an eclectic taste in films, but he primarily enjoyed Hollywood Westerns and action films as well as Japanese Godzilla movies. He was very upset over the fact that North Korea could not produce decent movies, while South Korean movies were receiving international attention, especially those made by the director Shin Sang Ok and his movie star wife Choi Eun Hee. They were the power couple of the South Korean movie industry. So, what better way to upgrade North Korean movie industry than having the best South Korean director make the movies and the top South Korean actress to act and to teach North Korean actors and actresses. In 1978, mysteriously the couple disappeared, only to reappear sometime later in photos showing them with Kim Jong Il in Pyonyang! Kim did not mistreat them, but he did keep them confined and ordered them to upgrade North Korea's movie industry. The couple did improve North Korea's movie making considerably, and Kim began to allow them more and more freedom. Finally, he allowed them to attend a film festival in Vienna, to represent North Korea, which they did. But they also managed to slip away and seek asylum at the U.S. Embassy in Vienna.
After over a decade in North Korean captivity, they managed to get away and lived out the rest of their lives in the U.S. While in the U.S., Shin managed to get back into filmmaking under a different name. He was first given credit for making a kids movie called 3 Ninjas in 1992 under the name of Kenny Kim. He proceeded to make 3 sequals in collaboration (co-directed) with John Turtletaub the movies Cool Runnings, While You Were Sleeping, and National Treasure. For those three movies, he used the name Simon Sheen.
Although we don't like to think about it, but there were some turncoats both during Korean War and Vietnam that ended up in North Korea. One misguided Marine in Vietnam crossed over to the other side and eventually ended up in North Korea. Another Army soldier voluntarily crossed the DMZ in Korea because, at the time (1970s) he believed in socialism! They both ended up making their living in North Korea teaching English. But as you may have guessed, those turncoats, particularly those of Korean War are pretty old! So, fresh blood is needed in North Korea. The most recent known American kidnap victim appears to be David Sneddon who was abducted by North Koreans while he was hiking in China close to Burmese (Myanmar) border.
David Sneddon was a Brigham Young student who went on a two year Mormon mission in South Korea. After completing his Mormon mission, he decided to travel around Asia and wanted to study Chinese. Having been in South Korea for two years, he already spoke Korean. Then in 2004 he disappeared in China. Recently, an organization that traces North Korean kidnap victims found him in Pyongyang. He is 36 years old and goes by the Korean name of Yoon Bong Soo. He is married to a Kim Eun Hae and they have two kids, a boy and a girl.... and yes, he makes his living teaching English! So far nothing has been done to try to get him back, mainly because North Korea denies of his existence in their country.
Japan has vigorously campaigned to get their kidnapped victims back and has negotiated with North Korea for years. They managed to get five of the kidnapped victim back in 2002, but eight are still in North Korea. It is really not known just how many North Korea kidnapped. There may be more Americans that we don't know about. After all, people disappear all the time! North Koreans are perfectly capable of coming to the U.S. and kidnapping some people, it is just easier for them to do that when the American victim is in Asia, closer to North Korea. There is no doubt that they kidnapped other nationalities, European and Asian, for their use. Language teaching is main objective, but they would just as easily kidnap people with other skills, as they have done with the South Korean movie director and his actress wife! Their most common targets are South Koreans, usually specialists in some field. But they are open to any nationality! They are equal opportunity kidnappers!
Kim Jong Il, the father of Kim Jong Un and the assassinated Kim Jong Nam, was as crazy as his youngest son. He showed a wild and unpredictable, violent streak early on. As I have mentioned in other blogs, he is the prime suspect in the death of his younger brother back in 1948, who presumably drowned in the family pool. From that point on, there were series of bizarre and unexplained violent incidents that took place that were either hushed up or simply ignored. Kim Jong Il first came to the attention of the outside world when he engineered some incredibly reckless attacks on U.S. and South Korean forces. As the head of the Special Operations of North Korea, one of the titles that he held, he launched several attacks along the DMZ. He then ordered a commando raid on South Korean Blue House, the presidential palace. This was followed by the ax murder of two U.S. officers at the Panmunjom neutral site. It seemed like there was no end to his wild and crazy activities. His father, Kim Il Song, was very much disturbed by this and ordered a stop to it, forbid him to carry out any more military actions. So, at this point he switched to more clandestine activity. North Korea developed a special section in their government that specialized in one activity, kidnapping.
Being a closed society, a true "hermit kingdom," the only way that they could acquire what they needed was by force or illegal means. North Korea at that time decided to go on a campaign to develop better Japanese linguists. They are firm believers in native speakers as being the best teachers, so a rash of kidnappings of Japanese citizens took place in 1977. A total of known 13 Japanese were kidnapped by North Koreans ranging anywhere from a 13 year old girl to men and women in their 20s and 30s. These people just disappeared, as if they were abducted by aliens from outer space! The abduction of Japanese from a remote town is one thing, but the abduction of South Korea's most famous movie director and his movie star wife is another thing.
Kim Jong Il was a great movie fan and was reputed to have had one of the largest private movie libraries found anywhere. He had somewhat of an eclectic taste in films, but he primarily enjoyed Hollywood Westerns and action films as well as Japanese Godzilla movies. He was very upset over the fact that North Korea could not produce decent movies, while South Korean movies were receiving international attention, especially those made by the director Shin Sang Ok and his movie star wife Choi Eun Hee. They were the power couple of the South Korean movie industry. So, what better way to upgrade North Korean movie industry than having the best South Korean director make the movies and the top South Korean actress to act and to teach North Korean actors and actresses. In 1978, mysteriously the couple disappeared, only to reappear sometime later in photos showing them with Kim Jong Il in Pyonyang! Kim did not mistreat them, but he did keep them confined and ordered them to upgrade North Korea's movie industry. The couple did improve North Korea's movie making considerably, and Kim began to allow them more and more freedom. Finally, he allowed them to attend a film festival in Vienna, to represent North Korea, which they did. But they also managed to slip away and seek asylum at the U.S. Embassy in Vienna.
After over a decade in North Korean captivity, they managed to get away and lived out the rest of their lives in the U.S. While in the U.S., Shin managed to get back into filmmaking under a different name. He was first given credit for making a kids movie called 3 Ninjas in 1992 under the name of Kenny Kim. He proceeded to make 3 sequals in collaboration (co-directed) with John Turtletaub the movies Cool Runnings, While You Were Sleeping, and National Treasure. For those three movies, he used the name Simon Sheen.
Although we don't like to think about it, but there were some turncoats both during Korean War and Vietnam that ended up in North Korea. One misguided Marine in Vietnam crossed over to the other side and eventually ended up in North Korea. Another Army soldier voluntarily crossed the DMZ in Korea because, at the time (1970s) he believed in socialism! They both ended up making their living in North Korea teaching English. But as you may have guessed, those turncoats, particularly those of Korean War are pretty old! So, fresh blood is needed in North Korea. The most recent known American kidnap victim appears to be David Sneddon who was abducted by North Koreans while he was hiking in China close to Burmese (Myanmar) border.
David Sneddon was a Brigham Young student who went on a two year Mormon mission in South Korea. After completing his Mormon mission, he decided to travel around Asia and wanted to study Chinese. Having been in South Korea for two years, he already spoke Korean. Then in 2004 he disappeared in China. Recently, an organization that traces North Korean kidnap victims found him in Pyongyang. He is 36 years old and goes by the Korean name of Yoon Bong Soo. He is married to a Kim Eun Hae and they have two kids, a boy and a girl.... and yes, he makes his living teaching English! So far nothing has been done to try to get him back, mainly because North Korea denies of his existence in their country.
Japan has vigorously campaigned to get their kidnapped victims back and has negotiated with North Korea for years. They managed to get five of the kidnapped victim back in 2002, but eight are still in North Korea. It is really not known just how many North Korea kidnapped. There may be more Americans that we don't know about. After all, people disappear all the time! North Koreans are perfectly capable of coming to the U.S. and kidnapping some people, it is just easier for them to do that when the American victim is in Asia, closer to North Korea. There is no doubt that they kidnapped other nationalities, European and Asian, for their use. Language teaching is main objective, but they would just as easily kidnap people with other skills, as they have done with the South Korean movie director and his actress wife! Their most common targets are South Koreans, usually specialists in some field. But they are open to any nationality! They are equal opportunity kidnappers!
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
More Confusion, More Theories on Kim Jong Nam Assassination
The latest bit of information coming out of Malaysia concerning the Kim Jong Nam assassination just throws more confusion, with no definite answers in sight! Seeing as how the cause of the Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 crash of three years ago is still shrouded in mystery, I have no confidence that the Malaysian authorities will ever truly solve the Kim Jong Nam assassination, at least not without some serious outside help!
As of yet, they have not been able to determine what toxin was used to poison Kim, and this, after two autopsies! The list of suspects have grown to something like eight people, including members of the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur as well as several employees of the North Korean official airlines, Air Koryo. However, nothing appears to be for certain. The theories on the method of poison application has varied wildly, from spraying with a bottle to injection with a needle, and what appeared on the video, covering the face with a cloth soaked in poison. The latest claim is that both women had their hands soaked in toxic substance and they smeared Kim Jong Nam's face with their hands. The video that is being shown indicates otherwise. Additionally, if their hands were indeed soaked in toxic substance, why didn't they succumb to the poison? The Malaysian authorities claim that the women immediately went to the rest room and washed their hands. But if the poison was as fast acting as it seemed to have been, killing Kim within minutes of application, those women should be dead as well, since they had the poison on their hands even before they supposedly rubbed it on Kim's face!
Nothing seems to make sense in Malaysian authorities explanation! The latest claim is that the women were true assassins and knew all along what they were doing. They had practice runs with other people (without using actual poison!) pretending that they were shooting a reality prank show. At least that is what the Malaysian investigators are now saying. So, if we are to believe what the authorities are saying, aside from several possible versions of poison application, the assassination was carried out by a large group of collaborators, including the two women who were the actual assassins.
South Korean intelligence was the first to officially announce that it was plain and simple North Korean assassination. North Korea has denied involvement, claiming it is all a plot by South Korea and Malaysia to smear the innocent reputation of North Korea. Interestingly, there has been absolutely no news coverage of this in North Korea! As far as North Korean citizens are concerned, Kim Jong Nam is alive and well, somewhere. Like with so many things, the population in North Korea is kept completely in the dark.
China has been mysteriously silent, at least in the official sector. The Chinese government has not made a statement concerning this incident that is of any significance. But as is typical of Chinese politics, much of what the government may actually think has been expressed by so-called "private sector" media, which in fact is the "unofficial," official mouthpiece for the Chinese government. The "unofficial"- official media has begun to speculate that perhaps this was done by North Korea to disrupt any chances by China to replace Kim Jong Un. Kim Jong Nam, during his lifetime, openly said that he was not interested in taking the reigns of the country. But, China would have used him as a puppet. Kim Jong Nam was pro-Chinese and frequently stated that North Korea should adopt China's policy for economic development and allow free enterprise system. This, of course, did not sit well with his half brother Kim Jong Un, who had a standing "contract" or order to assassinate his older half brother.
There are some in the politburo of Beijing government who think that North Korea would prefer to align with South Korea and the U.S. rather than become a Chinese "vassal" state as Korea used to be in the historical past. That is not far-fetched. North Korea came within a "whisker" of becoming a Chinese "colony" during the Korean War after they were routed by the UN forces in the fall of 1950. It was only because of Stalin, who would not allow Mao to take over North Korea, that the Chinese refrained from occupying North Korea making it into another Tibet or Inner Mongolia!
Today, North Korea is almost totally dependent on China for economic support. Many North Koreans in the leadership positions don't like it a bit. Since the 19th Century, Korea has preferred to align with Russia, but Russia is in no position to support North Korea at this time. Besides, Russia may be ruled by a dictator, but it is no longer a communist state. So, some North Koreans actually see alignment with South Korea and the U.S. as lesser of the two evils. Naturally, they see the prospect of eventually taking over the South, that is part of their motivation. But still, they would prefer to play "footsie" with South Korea and the U.S. rather than remain dependent on China for economic support.
Will we be able to do something? Will we be able to start negotiating with North Korea? Who knows, they are so unpredictable and so out of sync with the rest of the world that it is impossible to predict what will happen. Besides, when it comes to negotiations, we have always taken a beating. I can't figure out why it is so. The U.S. is no longer the same country that it was back in the day, during World War Two when there was a definite shortage of "Asia Experts." Today there are plenty of scholars, businessmen, and government official who are very knowledgeable about Asia. But for some reason, when it comes to negotiations, we seem to always take a beating. But then, that has been the case not only with Asia, but with Middle East, Europe, and whoever else we deal with!
As of yet, they have not been able to determine what toxin was used to poison Kim, and this, after two autopsies! The list of suspects have grown to something like eight people, including members of the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur as well as several employees of the North Korean official airlines, Air Koryo. However, nothing appears to be for certain. The theories on the method of poison application has varied wildly, from spraying with a bottle to injection with a needle, and what appeared on the video, covering the face with a cloth soaked in poison. The latest claim is that both women had their hands soaked in toxic substance and they smeared Kim Jong Nam's face with their hands. The video that is being shown indicates otherwise. Additionally, if their hands were indeed soaked in toxic substance, why didn't they succumb to the poison? The Malaysian authorities claim that the women immediately went to the rest room and washed their hands. But if the poison was as fast acting as it seemed to have been, killing Kim within minutes of application, those women should be dead as well, since they had the poison on their hands even before they supposedly rubbed it on Kim's face!
Nothing seems to make sense in Malaysian authorities explanation! The latest claim is that the women were true assassins and knew all along what they were doing. They had practice runs with other people (without using actual poison!) pretending that they were shooting a reality prank show. At least that is what the Malaysian investigators are now saying. So, if we are to believe what the authorities are saying, aside from several possible versions of poison application, the assassination was carried out by a large group of collaborators, including the two women who were the actual assassins.
South Korean intelligence was the first to officially announce that it was plain and simple North Korean assassination. North Korea has denied involvement, claiming it is all a plot by South Korea and Malaysia to smear the innocent reputation of North Korea. Interestingly, there has been absolutely no news coverage of this in North Korea! As far as North Korean citizens are concerned, Kim Jong Nam is alive and well, somewhere. Like with so many things, the population in North Korea is kept completely in the dark.
China has been mysteriously silent, at least in the official sector. The Chinese government has not made a statement concerning this incident that is of any significance. But as is typical of Chinese politics, much of what the government may actually think has been expressed by so-called "private sector" media, which in fact is the "unofficial," official mouthpiece for the Chinese government. The "unofficial"- official media has begun to speculate that perhaps this was done by North Korea to disrupt any chances by China to replace Kim Jong Un. Kim Jong Nam, during his lifetime, openly said that he was not interested in taking the reigns of the country. But, China would have used him as a puppet. Kim Jong Nam was pro-Chinese and frequently stated that North Korea should adopt China's policy for economic development and allow free enterprise system. This, of course, did not sit well with his half brother Kim Jong Un, who had a standing "contract" or order to assassinate his older half brother.
There are some in the politburo of Beijing government who think that North Korea would prefer to align with South Korea and the U.S. rather than become a Chinese "vassal" state as Korea used to be in the historical past. That is not far-fetched. North Korea came within a "whisker" of becoming a Chinese "colony" during the Korean War after they were routed by the UN forces in the fall of 1950. It was only because of Stalin, who would not allow Mao to take over North Korea, that the Chinese refrained from occupying North Korea making it into another Tibet or Inner Mongolia!
Today, North Korea is almost totally dependent on China for economic support. Many North Koreans in the leadership positions don't like it a bit. Since the 19th Century, Korea has preferred to align with Russia, but Russia is in no position to support North Korea at this time. Besides, Russia may be ruled by a dictator, but it is no longer a communist state. So, some North Koreans actually see alignment with South Korea and the U.S. as lesser of the two evils. Naturally, they see the prospect of eventually taking over the South, that is part of their motivation. But still, they would prefer to play "footsie" with South Korea and the U.S. rather than remain dependent on China for economic support.
Will we be able to do something? Will we be able to start negotiating with North Korea? Who knows, they are so unpredictable and so out of sync with the rest of the world that it is impossible to predict what will happen. Besides, when it comes to negotiations, we have always taken a beating. I can't figure out why it is so. The U.S. is no longer the same country that it was back in the day, during World War Two when there was a definite shortage of "Asia Experts." Today there are plenty of scholars, businessmen, and government official who are very knowledgeable about Asia. But for some reason, when it comes to negotiations, we seem to always take a beating. But then, that has been the case not only with Asia, but with Middle East, Europe, and whoever else we deal with!
Saturday, February 18, 2017
The Continuing Saga of Kim Jong Nam Assassination
Its been almost a week now, since Kim Jong Nam was assassinated in a Hollywood spy movie fashion, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. As can be expected in such cases, initial reports coming out of Malaysia were somewhat sketchy. All that was for certain was that Kim Jong Nam, or at least someone purported to be him, was killed somewhat mysteriously at the Kuala Lumpur Airport. Within few short hours, a 28 year old woman suspect, allegedly a Vietnamese national (she was carrying a Vietnamese passport), was arrested for questioning. This woman, identified as Doan Thi Huong on her Vietnamese passport, was seen near the scene of the crime and her image was captured on the grainy CCTV image. Shortly a second woman, an Indonesian national, 25 year old Siti Aishah, was arrested. A few hours later, her Malaysian boy friend was detained for questioning, but released. Now, some five days later, a 46 year old North Korean Ri Jong Chol has been arrested. Ri is supposedly in Malaysia with a worker's permit but is suspected of being part of the North Korean hit squad that used the two women to carry out the killing.
The two women have been claiming that they were unaware that they were carrying out an assassination. According to their story, they were hired by a TV crew that supposedly was shooting a realty prank show in which one would approach an unsuspecting man and ask him to close his eyes, and the other would spray him with water. They were paid a small amount and had already performed several such pranks at various locations. However, in the final prank, that of killing Kim Jong Nam, apparently some sort of poison was used instead of harmless water. Now the women claim they did not know that they were using any kind of a harmful liquid. Yet, the alleged Vietnamese woman who handled the liquid wore gloves on her hands. Why would anyone wear gloves in a hot, humid, tropical climate? It is hard to believe that she or her partner did not realize that there was something strange.
The women were acquainted and had recently both worked briefly in China as escorts. They had also traveled to South Korea and other locations, working as hostesses in bars or as escorts. It is not clear if they had been recruited earlier or upon their arrival in Malaysia. The North Korean who was most recently arrested is no doubt part of the assassination crew that North Korea had dispatched for this killing. He may have been, along with the other reported three TV "crew" members, "sleepers" who had established themselves in Malaysia working in various jobs. Malaysia is one of the few remaining countries in the world that has friendly relations with North Korea with official diplomatic ties. Usually, in countries where North Korea is able to establish official ties with embassies, like in Malaysia or Egypt, those countries are infiltrated with their intelligence personnel as "sleepers" or "diplomats," and they use those countries as bases for their intelligence operations for the region. Malaysia is known to harbor many North Koreans.
It is somewhat confusing that there are so many versions given for the way Kim Jong Nam was assassinated. The initial report from Malaysian police was that a handkerchief, no doubt containing poison, was used to cover the victim's face briefly, long enough for the poison to go to work. That story was supposedly based on Kim Jong Nam's own description of how he was assaulted, before he died. There were, of course, other versions circulated that he was stabbed with a needle that injected the poison, and the version about having the liquid sprayed in his face. Now, it seems that the two women that were responsible claim that they used a spray, which along with the gloves worn by one, were discarded after the act. What is surprising is that neither the gloves that were worn nor the spray bottle containing poison had been recovered. Additionally, although the autopsy had been completed several days ago, the result of the autopsy has not yet been released.
I hate to say this, but the whole thing smacks of inefficiency and mishandling by the Malaysian authorities. It is not surprising, one only has to look back a couple of years to March of 2014 and the disappearance of Malaysian flight MH370, and remember the bungling and mishandling of the situation by not only the airlines officials, but by the police and Malaysian government handling the investigation. Perhaps because of the MH370 incident and the black eye that the Malaysian officials received for mishandling, this time the authorities appear to be almost excessively reticent in releasing any kind of new information. Meanwhile, the North Korean Ambassador to Malaysia has announced that North Korea rejects any autopsy findings, claiming that it is all a plot against North Korea by its enemies. In doing so, North Korea is literally admitting that they are responsible for the assassination!
There are all sorts of theories being floated about as to why Kim Jong Nam was assassinated. He was certainly no threat to Kim Jong Un, his younger half brother. Kim Jong Nam did express dissatisfaction with the North Korean regime and predicted that it would fall unless reforms were made and strict rule eased. But no one really took him seriously. The Chinese provided protection and there was talk that he would be their choice to replace Kim Jong Un. Other rumors were that there is a faction in North Korea that would like to break from China, and as far fetched as it may seem, actually draw closer to Japan, South Korea, and the U.S.
Historically, for thousands of years China or various Chinese Dynasties have dominated the Korean peninsula and its kingdoms. Both the Yi and the earlier Koryo Dynasties were tributary states of China! It was only the much earlier great Koguryo Empire that China feared, that was not subject to a Chinese Dynasty. So there is very long history of Chinese subjugation and mistrust. In comparison, hostilities against Japan is fairly recent, and against South Korea and the U.S., very recent. In a culture where centuries are counted at about the same rate as we count years here in America, the mistrust of China is much deeper than most outsiders realize. Many older North Koreans still remember how close they came to being dominated by China during Korean War!
So, despite the fact that North Korea is almost totally dependent on China for economic support, it still does not quite trust China. You can bet that although there may be Sino-philes among the North Korean top brass, majority are still mistrustful. So, given an opportunity, a break from China would not be something that many North Koreans would resist. From that standpoint, there is a chance, although a very slim one, of establishing some sort of an opening for negotiations. So, in a very twisted sort of way, perhaps some of the North Korean leadership saw an opportunity to severe some of the ties with China by assassinating Kim Jong Nam, who was known to be pro Chinese and was protected by the Chinese. The Beijing leadership, on the otherhand, has remained surprisingly quiet about the situation. Many journalists in China, both foreign and domestic, speculate that the Chinese leadership feels insulted by what North Korea pulled. Whether that is true or not we really won't know, unless the Chinese admit to it, which is unlikely. At any rate, this whole saga of the assassination appears to have much more to it than just a mere act of a psychopath fearing for his position as head of North Korea. Hopefully, we will learn more in time, whether it was indeed just an assassination typical of Kim Jong Un, or if there was another motive behind it.
The two women have been claiming that they were unaware that they were carrying out an assassination. According to their story, they were hired by a TV crew that supposedly was shooting a realty prank show in which one would approach an unsuspecting man and ask him to close his eyes, and the other would spray him with water. They were paid a small amount and had already performed several such pranks at various locations. However, in the final prank, that of killing Kim Jong Nam, apparently some sort of poison was used instead of harmless water. Now the women claim they did not know that they were using any kind of a harmful liquid. Yet, the alleged Vietnamese woman who handled the liquid wore gloves on her hands. Why would anyone wear gloves in a hot, humid, tropical climate? It is hard to believe that she or her partner did not realize that there was something strange.
The women were acquainted and had recently both worked briefly in China as escorts. They had also traveled to South Korea and other locations, working as hostesses in bars or as escorts. It is not clear if they had been recruited earlier or upon their arrival in Malaysia. The North Korean who was most recently arrested is no doubt part of the assassination crew that North Korea had dispatched for this killing. He may have been, along with the other reported three TV "crew" members, "sleepers" who had established themselves in Malaysia working in various jobs. Malaysia is one of the few remaining countries in the world that has friendly relations with North Korea with official diplomatic ties. Usually, in countries where North Korea is able to establish official ties with embassies, like in Malaysia or Egypt, those countries are infiltrated with their intelligence personnel as "sleepers" or "diplomats," and they use those countries as bases for their intelligence operations for the region. Malaysia is known to harbor many North Koreans.
It is somewhat confusing that there are so many versions given for the way Kim Jong Nam was assassinated. The initial report from Malaysian police was that a handkerchief, no doubt containing poison, was used to cover the victim's face briefly, long enough for the poison to go to work. That story was supposedly based on Kim Jong Nam's own description of how he was assaulted, before he died. There were, of course, other versions circulated that he was stabbed with a needle that injected the poison, and the version about having the liquid sprayed in his face. Now, it seems that the two women that were responsible claim that they used a spray, which along with the gloves worn by one, were discarded after the act. What is surprising is that neither the gloves that were worn nor the spray bottle containing poison had been recovered. Additionally, although the autopsy had been completed several days ago, the result of the autopsy has not yet been released.
I hate to say this, but the whole thing smacks of inefficiency and mishandling by the Malaysian authorities. It is not surprising, one only has to look back a couple of years to March of 2014 and the disappearance of Malaysian flight MH370, and remember the bungling and mishandling of the situation by not only the airlines officials, but by the police and Malaysian government handling the investigation. Perhaps because of the MH370 incident and the black eye that the Malaysian officials received for mishandling, this time the authorities appear to be almost excessively reticent in releasing any kind of new information. Meanwhile, the North Korean Ambassador to Malaysia has announced that North Korea rejects any autopsy findings, claiming that it is all a plot against North Korea by its enemies. In doing so, North Korea is literally admitting that they are responsible for the assassination!
There are all sorts of theories being floated about as to why Kim Jong Nam was assassinated. He was certainly no threat to Kim Jong Un, his younger half brother. Kim Jong Nam did express dissatisfaction with the North Korean regime and predicted that it would fall unless reforms were made and strict rule eased. But no one really took him seriously. The Chinese provided protection and there was talk that he would be their choice to replace Kim Jong Un. Other rumors were that there is a faction in North Korea that would like to break from China, and as far fetched as it may seem, actually draw closer to Japan, South Korea, and the U.S.
Historically, for thousands of years China or various Chinese Dynasties have dominated the Korean peninsula and its kingdoms. Both the Yi and the earlier Koryo Dynasties were tributary states of China! It was only the much earlier great Koguryo Empire that China feared, that was not subject to a Chinese Dynasty. So there is very long history of Chinese subjugation and mistrust. In comparison, hostilities against Japan is fairly recent, and against South Korea and the U.S., very recent. In a culture where centuries are counted at about the same rate as we count years here in America, the mistrust of China is much deeper than most outsiders realize. Many older North Koreans still remember how close they came to being dominated by China during Korean War!
So, despite the fact that North Korea is almost totally dependent on China for economic support, it still does not quite trust China. You can bet that although there may be Sino-philes among the North Korean top brass, majority are still mistrustful. So, given an opportunity, a break from China would not be something that many North Koreans would resist. From that standpoint, there is a chance, although a very slim one, of establishing some sort of an opening for negotiations. So, in a very twisted sort of way, perhaps some of the North Korean leadership saw an opportunity to severe some of the ties with China by assassinating Kim Jong Nam, who was known to be pro Chinese and was protected by the Chinese. The Beijing leadership, on the otherhand, has remained surprisingly quiet about the situation. Many journalists in China, both foreign and domestic, speculate that the Chinese leadership feels insulted by what North Korea pulled. Whether that is true or not we really won't know, unless the Chinese admit to it, which is unlikely. At any rate, this whole saga of the assassination appears to have much more to it than just a mere act of a psychopath fearing for his position as head of North Korea. Hopefully, we will learn more in time, whether it was indeed just an assassination typical of Kim Jong Un, or if there was another motive behind it.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
The Most Dangerous of the Three Kims
I began my blog back in March of 2014, mainly because I wanted to flog my book The Manchurian Tales and initially that is what the blog was named. The first blog was called "Russian Koreans," a subject that was the main theme of the book that I was trying to promote. However, it didn't take long for me to decide to expand the subject matter of the blog by including my other book, Snap Shots, into the title of the blog. Those of you who have been reading my blog know that for the past three years, it has taken on a life of its own and now covers just about everything. But, I still try to stay geographically within East Asia as much as possible. In late 2014 I did a series on the Kim family of North Korea, beginning with the grandfather Kim Il Song, who was the founder of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). I gave brief historical backgrounds and biographical sketches on Kim Il Song, his wacky son Kim Jong Il, and the current psychotic grandson, Kim Jong Un. In January of 2015 I wrote a piece on Kim Jong Un which was called "Possibly the Most Dangerous of the Three," suggesting that perhaps the youngest Kim was more dangerous than his crazy father or his grandfather. Well, at this point, there is no doubt that the youngest Kim is by far the most dangerous and unpredictable of the three!
Two days ago a brief news flash appeared about the murder/assassination of Kim Jong Nam, the older half brother of Kim Jong Un. According to the news story, Kim Jong Nam was assaulted at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia by two young women. The initial stories varied. Some said that he was stabbed with a poisoned needle from behind, others said that poison was sprayed in his face. Ultimately the Malaysian police released the story that two women grabbed him from behind and briefly covered his face with a cloth that apparently contained poison. According to some accounts, Kim himself told the police investigators, before his death, that he was assaulted in such manner. One woman was almost immediately apprehended and the police are still looking for the other woman as well as three of her male accomplices. The alleged young woman assassin that was apprehended was supposedly traveling on a Vietnamese passport with a false Vietnamese identity. All of this sounds like something straight out of a Hollywood spy movie or a novel! But the Kim family of North Korea has been known to pull off stunts that break the norm, everything from kidnapping to bizarre murders/executions/assassinations! There is a long family history of murders and assassinations of family members!
It began with the grandfather Kim Il Song who reportedly eliminated not only many of his "rivals" but also his wife and several mistresses! The elder Kim had a wife who gave birth to his two sons, but he also had at least three mistresses that he maintained and simply got rid of when he tired of them. They just disappeared off the face of the earth! However, Kim Il Song did not have siblings to worry about. Of his two sons, Kim preferred the eldest to succeed him because he physically resembled him! The eldest son, Kim Jong Il, like his father, tended to be sort of dumpy with an unattractive face and gloomy with a mean streak. The younger son, Kim Man Il, was slender and had attractive features. He was by far his mother's favorite, and in some ways even preferred by his father because he was such a pleasing child. Then, mysteriously, in 1948, Kim Man Il drowned in the family swimming pool while playing with his older brother Kim Jong Il. Although it was never said, it was known that the older brother Kim Jong Il had murdered his own little brother out of jealousy! A year later, the mother also died mysteriously of a gunshot wound.
So right from the start, there is murder within the Kim family history. Kim Il Song himself died in 1994 under mysterious circumstances. All anyone knows is that it was announced that he supposedly died suddenly of a heart attack. There was no history of heart problems with the elder Kim, so his death was rather sudden despite his advanced age.
Like father like son, Kim Jong Il not only physically resembled his father, but he also had a string of mistresses as well as his so-called "legal" wife. His eldest son was Kim Jong Nam, born of his first mistress. Kim Jong Un is an illegitimate as well, born of his younger mistress! Like his father, Kim Jong Il preferred his younger son Kim Jong Un because they resembled each other physically! Kim Jong Nam, however, also resembled his father a bit and was more or less the pick to succeed his father. But in 2001 Kim Jong Nam fell out of favor with his dad when he was caught at Tokyo's Narita Airport trying to sneak into Japan with a Dominican Republic passport. He was caught and deported back to North Korea. Apparently he was trying to sneak-in to visit Japan's Disneyworld with his family. He also told the Japanese authorities that he had been in Japan on numerous occasions with a false identity, to go night clubbing and to visit Yoshiwara, the famous red light district! Kim Jong Il became very upset with his eldest son and exiled him to Macau, Chinese Territory, where he had been residing since, under Chinese protection. It was rumored that the Chinese extended the protection to him because they preferred him over his younger half brother.
While in exile, Kim Jong Nam frequently traveled and also managed to give an interview to a Japanese reporter who wrote a book about him. The book revealed that Kim Jong Nam was not only estranged from his dad and the rest of his family, but that he did not care for the North Korean regime and openly criticized its practices. In 2012, a year after the death of his father and younger half brother's rise to power, there was a failed assassination attempt on him. Kim Jong Nam, may have been a playboy, but he was no fool, he knew who ordered the assassination attempt. He wrote a letter to his younger half brother asking him to leave him alone, that he was not interested in taking over the country or any other political role. He just wanted to be left in peace. However, Kim Jong Un obviously did not believe him or want to hear anything. In 2015 he ordered another assassination attempt which ended up in a bloody shoot-out in Macau, but failed to kill his half brother. Now, two years later, he finally succeeded after two previous failed attempts, with this James Bond-like assassination in Malaysia.
Lest you think this is an isolated case, perish the thought! Since taking power in 2012 (the first year 2011 was sort of a vacuum), the young Kim has managed to accrue a string of bizarre and gruesome assassinations, murders, and executions. Perhaps the most publicized such act took place in 2013, a year after he officially took power, when he ordered the arrest and execution of his own uncle, General Chang (Jang) Song Thaek. Chang (Jang) was obviously a threat to his absolute power, since Chang was considered second most powerful man in North Korea. So he accused him of some trumped up charges of being a counterrevolutionary and had him shot! Chang (Jang) was married to Kim's aunt, his father's cousin! Two months later he had the entire family wiped out, beginning with his aunt! This was the most publicized event involving Kim Jong Un other than his constant belligerent rhetoric against South Korea and the U.S. But here are some of his other "liquidations" that have taken place since he came to power, it seems that the murder of his uncle in 2013 got the ball rolling!
In 2014 he had the Deputy Security Minister O Sang Hon executed with a flame thrower!
Also in 2014, in fact in the same month of April, he had the Vice Minister of the Army Kim Chol executed by having him shot with a mortar round! His crime? He was supposedly drinking and carousing during the official mourning period for Kim Jong Il! A year later, in April of 2015, he had the Defense Minister Hyong Yong Choi executed in front of a crowd of hundreds by having him shot with an anti-aircraft gun! His crime was falling asleep during a meeting! The last such bizarre execution took place less than a year ago in August of 2016 when a top Education Official, Ri Yong Jin was executed for falling asleep at a meeting. He was machinegunned! These are only some, better known "executions" that have been reported. No one knows how many such cases went unreported!
I think it is clear that not only is Kim Jong Un the worst of the three Kims, but considering how bad his dad and grandfather were, the current Kim is almost unimaginably twisted and psychotic, making them appear almost sane! I know that there is some hopeful thinking that perhaps the new administration will be able to do something with North Korea, with Kim Jong Un. But I am beginning to think that short of having him removed physically, i.e., killed, nothing will do. I don't believe it will be possible to negotiate with him because despite the fact that he might agree on something, he might just as easily go back on his word the next second! I am beginning to think that short of "taking him out" along with the top leadership in North Korea, there is no other solution. Obviously there are others in North Korea who support him that are just as looney! Perhaps South Korea should expand its "Decapitation Unit" and put it into action!
Two days ago a brief news flash appeared about the murder/assassination of Kim Jong Nam, the older half brother of Kim Jong Un. According to the news story, Kim Jong Nam was assaulted at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia by two young women. The initial stories varied. Some said that he was stabbed with a poisoned needle from behind, others said that poison was sprayed in his face. Ultimately the Malaysian police released the story that two women grabbed him from behind and briefly covered his face with a cloth that apparently contained poison. According to some accounts, Kim himself told the police investigators, before his death, that he was assaulted in such manner. One woman was almost immediately apprehended and the police are still looking for the other woman as well as three of her male accomplices. The alleged young woman assassin that was apprehended was supposedly traveling on a Vietnamese passport with a false Vietnamese identity. All of this sounds like something straight out of a Hollywood spy movie or a novel! But the Kim family of North Korea has been known to pull off stunts that break the norm, everything from kidnapping to bizarre murders/executions/assassinations! There is a long family history of murders and assassinations of family members!
It began with the grandfather Kim Il Song who reportedly eliminated not only many of his "rivals" but also his wife and several mistresses! The elder Kim had a wife who gave birth to his two sons, but he also had at least three mistresses that he maintained and simply got rid of when he tired of them. They just disappeared off the face of the earth! However, Kim Il Song did not have siblings to worry about. Of his two sons, Kim preferred the eldest to succeed him because he physically resembled him! The eldest son, Kim Jong Il, like his father, tended to be sort of dumpy with an unattractive face and gloomy with a mean streak. The younger son, Kim Man Il, was slender and had attractive features. He was by far his mother's favorite, and in some ways even preferred by his father because he was such a pleasing child. Then, mysteriously, in 1948, Kim Man Il drowned in the family swimming pool while playing with his older brother Kim Jong Il. Although it was never said, it was known that the older brother Kim Jong Il had murdered his own little brother out of jealousy! A year later, the mother also died mysteriously of a gunshot wound.
So right from the start, there is murder within the Kim family history. Kim Il Song himself died in 1994 under mysterious circumstances. All anyone knows is that it was announced that he supposedly died suddenly of a heart attack. There was no history of heart problems with the elder Kim, so his death was rather sudden despite his advanced age.
Like father like son, Kim Jong Il not only physically resembled his father, but he also had a string of mistresses as well as his so-called "legal" wife. His eldest son was Kim Jong Nam, born of his first mistress. Kim Jong Un is an illegitimate as well, born of his younger mistress! Like his father, Kim Jong Il preferred his younger son Kim Jong Un because they resembled each other physically! Kim Jong Nam, however, also resembled his father a bit and was more or less the pick to succeed his father. But in 2001 Kim Jong Nam fell out of favor with his dad when he was caught at Tokyo's Narita Airport trying to sneak into Japan with a Dominican Republic passport. He was caught and deported back to North Korea. Apparently he was trying to sneak-in to visit Japan's Disneyworld with his family. He also told the Japanese authorities that he had been in Japan on numerous occasions with a false identity, to go night clubbing and to visit Yoshiwara, the famous red light district! Kim Jong Il became very upset with his eldest son and exiled him to Macau, Chinese Territory, where he had been residing since, under Chinese protection. It was rumored that the Chinese extended the protection to him because they preferred him over his younger half brother.
While in exile, Kim Jong Nam frequently traveled and also managed to give an interview to a Japanese reporter who wrote a book about him. The book revealed that Kim Jong Nam was not only estranged from his dad and the rest of his family, but that he did not care for the North Korean regime and openly criticized its practices. In 2012, a year after the death of his father and younger half brother's rise to power, there was a failed assassination attempt on him. Kim Jong Nam, may have been a playboy, but he was no fool, he knew who ordered the assassination attempt. He wrote a letter to his younger half brother asking him to leave him alone, that he was not interested in taking over the country or any other political role. He just wanted to be left in peace. However, Kim Jong Un obviously did not believe him or want to hear anything. In 2015 he ordered another assassination attempt which ended up in a bloody shoot-out in Macau, but failed to kill his half brother. Now, two years later, he finally succeeded after two previous failed attempts, with this James Bond-like assassination in Malaysia.
Lest you think this is an isolated case, perish the thought! Since taking power in 2012 (the first year 2011 was sort of a vacuum), the young Kim has managed to accrue a string of bizarre and gruesome assassinations, murders, and executions. Perhaps the most publicized such act took place in 2013, a year after he officially took power, when he ordered the arrest and execution of his own uncle, General Chang (Jang) Song Thaek. Chang (Jang) was obviously a threat to his absolute power, since Chang was considered second most powerful man in North Korea. So he accused him of some trumped up charges of being a counterrevolutionary and had him shot! Chang (Jang) was married to Kim's aunt, his father's cousin! Two months later he had the entire family wiped out, beginning with his aunt! This was the most publicized event involving Kim Jong Un other than his constant belligerent rhetoric against South Korea and the U.S. But here are some of his other "liquidations" that have taken place since he came to power, it seems that the murder of his uncle in 2013 got the ball rolling!
In 2014 he had the Deputy Security Minister O Sang Hon executed with a flame thrower!
Also in 2014, in fact in the same month of April, he had the Vice Minister of the Army Kim Chol executed by having him shot with a mortar round! His crime? He was supposedly drinking and carousing during the official mourning period for Kim Jong Il! A year later, in April of 2015, he had the Defense Minister Hyong Yong Choi executed in front of a crowd of hundreds by having him shot with an anti-aircraft gun! His crime was falling asleep during a meeting! The last such bizarre execution took place less than a year ago in August of 2016 when a top Education Official, Ri Yong Jin was executed for falling asleep at a meeting. He was machinegunned! These are only some, better known "executions" that have been reported. No one knows how many such cases went unreported!
I think it is clear that not only is Kim Jong Un the worst of the three Kims, but considering how bad his dad and grandfather were, the current Kim is almost unimaginably twisted and psychotic, making them appear almost sane! I know that there is some hopeful thinking that perhaps the new administration will be able to do something with North Korea, with Kim Jong Un. But I am beginning to think that short of having him removed physically, i.e., killed, nothing will do. I don't believe it will be possible to negotiate with him because despite the fact that he might agree on something, he might just as easily go back on his word the next second! I am beginning to think that short of "taking him out" along with the top leadership in North Korea, there is no other solution. Obviously there are others in North Korea who support him that are just as looney! Perhaps South Korea should expand its "Decapitation Unit" and put it into action!
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Mainstream Media and Fake News
I don't know about you, but I am sick and tired of mainstream media's constant negative reporting on anything to do with Trump. When you combine mainstream media's reporting with fake news that seems to have grown into monster proportions, it is almost impossible to discern what is true and what is just plain lies. The media has always sided with the liberal camp, that dates back many years. But in the past, there was at least an attempt to be somewhat partial by some of the mainstream media. That partiality seems to have gone by the way side somewhere along the line around the Vietnam War era.
There are many things that have happened with Trump administration that I do not agree with and am even disturbed about in some cases. But such is the nature of our system and politics. Each administration always has negative aspects with its share of scandals and poorly hatched policies, especially when it first gets it's feet wet in running the country. Trump has been in the office less than a month, and it seems no one in the mainstream media is willing to wait and see, but rather pounces on every move that they see as a misstep. The media appears to be so eager to portray Trump and his administration in a negative light that they will even take something positive and twist it around to make it negative! For the most part they will take something that is not necessarily unusual and make it sound as if it is unusual, in a negative way. I have never seen such mean spirited, downright vile attacks directed at anyone before. It seems that even his family, something that was always considered a taboo to target the President's family, is not safe! Can you imagine if such attacks were directed at Obama's family how the liberal media would have reacted? I won't even go into that.
Currently there is much talk in the sports pages of news media of how at least four identified New England Patriot football players have announced that they would not attend the traditional White House ceremony, supposedly in protest. The media speculates that perhaps the total will grow to over half a dozen or so protesters. They are making it sound as if it is an important message conveyed by civic minded NFL players protesting Trump's presidency, an embarrassment for Trump, a slap in the face! They fail to mention that in every White House ceremony that has been held for the Super Bowl victors, since the tradition started, there were always members of the victorious team who did not attend for one reason or another! When they talk about the players that will not attend this year's ceremony, do they mention that Tom Brady, the quarterback of the Patriots did not attend the ceremony in 2015? Of course not, how could they mention that Brady, the star of the team did not attend, that would lessen the effect of the other players not attending this year!
In a more serious matter, the media made much of Trump's 19 second handshake with Abe of Japan. They point out that Abe was very uncomfortable and that Trump's handshake "hug," that of using both hands was somehow inappropriate. It seems that every U.S. media report went on to criticize Trump's handshaking style and how it made Abe uncomfortable, etc. Indeed, Abe's brief grimace-like expression at the end of the long handshake seem to support the media contention. Curiously, none of the U.S. media reporters mention the fact that two handed handshake, i.e., clasping the person's hand with both hands is a sign of sincerity and offer of friendship. In fact, in many instances, that is how a subordinate clasps a superior's hand. I think our mainstream media reporters need to watch some Japanese and Korean TV dramas, they could learn something from those soaps, especially the handshaking practices. However, I think many of our reporters are very well aware of the Asian practice of clasping with both hands. They just chose to leave that part out and spin their story in the opposite direction!
It seems that while our media saw the Abe meeting in a negative light, the Japanese media saw it otherwise. All the Japanese media felt that Trump had really solidified U.S. - Japan relations, that he has calmed the fears of some Japanese that Trump was going to do things to damage the long standing close ties. If anything, everyone thought that Trump had proved his "sincerity" to maintain a solid partnership with Japan. Curious, how differently the Japanese media saw the meeting. Of course there were critics on the Japanese side as well. The Japanese leftist groups did not like what they saw and like the U.S. media, predicted that all sorts of bad things will follow. But the Japanese leftist are doing simply what they always do, criticize anything to do with U.S. government.
As I said in the beginning of this blog, there are many things that have happened that I don't particularly like. But I feel that it is still very early and, whether we like it or not, each new administration does have to go through some adjustment period. However, one thing is for certain. Trump has made no bones about his thoughts and stand on North Korea, something that several of our past presidents have been guilty of ignoring. He seems to be completely on the opposite end of Obama's approach to foreign policy. Obama's "wait and see" approach has gotten us into the situation that we are in with North Korea, as well as the mess in the Middle East. Trump has gone on record, not only with words, but by sending his Secretary of Defense to Japan and Korea in the first week of his administration, and with his recent meeting with Abe, that he will not tolerate North Korea's antics. Kim Jong Un is going to have to come up with a different strategy. This business of rattling sabers, firing off test missiles towards Japan isn't going to work.
China may be north Korea's biggest ally, but China is currently on shaky grounds with Trump over not only its trade policy but the issue over the disputed islands with Japan. Trump has just made "nice" with China by saying that we will adhere to "one China" policy, but I am sure China knows that there is a trade off, that they will have to pay for that concession that Trump made. I am sure China's payment will be in the form of perhaps easing restrictions on U.S. imports, lowering import duty, etc. But it could also be in the form of backing off supporting North Korea. After all, North Korea gets 100% of its economic and military support from China. Without China's support, with the stiff sanctions that it is facing, North Korea would collapse in a very short time. China does not want North Korea to collapse and be absorbed by South Korea, that is why it is still stubbornly supports North Korea.
There are many things that have happened with Trump administration that I do not agree with and am even disturbed about in some cases. But such is the nature of our system and politics. Each administration always has negative aspects with its share of scandals and poorly hatched policies, especially when it first gets it's feet wet in running the country. Trump has been in the office less than a month, and it seems no one in the mainstream media is willing to wait and see, but rather pounces on every move that they see as a misstep. The media appears to be so eager to portray Trump and his administration in a negative light that they will even take something positive and twist it around to make it negative! For the most part they will take something that is not necessarily unusual and make it sound as if it is unusual, in a negative way. I have never seen such mean spirited, downright vile attacks directed at anyone before. It seems that even his family, something that was always considered a taboo to target the President's family, is not safe! Can you imagine if such attacks were directed at Obama's family how the liberal media would have reacted? I won't even go into that.
Currently there is much talk in the sports pages of news media of how at least four identified New England Patriot football players have announced that they would not attend the traditional White House ceremony, supposedly in protest. The media speculates that perhaps the total will grow to over half a dozen or so protesters. They are making it sound as if it is an important message conveyed by civic minded NFL players protesting Trump's presidency, an embarrassment for Trump, a slap in the face! They fail to mention that in every White House ceremony that has been held for the Super Bowl victors, since the tradition started, there were always members of the victorious team who did not attend for one reason or another! When they talk about the players that will not attend this year's ceremony, do they mention that Tom Brady, the quarterback of the Patriots did not attend the ceremony in 2015? Of course not, how could they mention that Brady, the star of the team did not attend, that would lessen the effect of the other players not attending this year!
In a more serious matter, the media made much of Trump's 19 second handshake with Abe of Japan. They point out that Abe was very uncomfortable and that Trump's handshake "hug," that of using both hands was somehow inappropriate. It seems that every U.S. media report went on to criticize Trump's handshaking style and how it made Abe uncomfortable, etc. Indeed, Abe's brief grimace-like expression at the end of the long handshake seem to support the media contention. Curiously, none of the U.S. media reporters mention the fact that two handed handshake, i.e., clasping the person's hand with both hands is a sign of sincerity and offer of friendship. In fact, in many instances, that is how a subordinate clasps a superior's hand. I think our mainstream media reporters need to watch some Japanese and Korean TV dramas, they could learn something from those soaps, especially the handshaking practices. However, I think many of our reporters are very well aware of the Asian practice of clasping with both hands. They just chose to leave that part out and spin their story in the opposite direction!
It seems that while our media saw the Abe meeting in a negative light, the Japanese media saw it otherwise. All the Japanese media felt that Trump had really solidified U.S. - Japan relations, that he has calmed the fears of some Japanese that Trump was going to do things to damage the long standing close ties. If anything, everyone thought that Trump had proved his "sincerity" to maintain a solid partnership with Japan. Curious, how differently the Japanese media saw the meeting. Of course there were critics on the Japanese side as well. The Japanese leftist groups did not like what they saw and like the U.S. media, predicted that all sorts of bad things will follow. But the Japanese leftist are doing simply what they always do, criticize anything to do with U.S. government.
As I said in the beginning of this blog, there are many things that have happened that I don't particularly like. But I feel that it is still very early and, whether we like it or not, each new administration does have to go through some adjustment period. However, one thing is for certain. Trump has made no bones about his thoughts and stand on North Korea, something that several of our past presidents have been guilty of ignoring. He seems to be completely on the opposite end of Obama's approach to foreign policy. Obama's "wait and see" approach has gotten us into the situation that we are in with North Korea, as well as the mess in the Middle East. Trump has gone on record, not only with words, but by sending his Secretary of Defense to Japan and Korea in the first week of his administration, and with his recent meeting with Abe, that he will not tolerate North Korea's antics. Kim Jong Un is going to have to come up with a different strategy. This business of rattling sabers, firing off test missiles towards Japan isn't going to work.
China may be north Korea's biggest ally, but China is currently on shaky grounds with Trump over not only its trade policy but the issue over the disputed islands with Japan. Trump has just made "nice" with China by saying that we will adhere to "one China" policy, but I am sure China knows that there is a trade off, that they will have to pay for that concession that Trump made. I am sure China's payment will be in the form of perhaps easing restrictions on U.S. imports, lowering import duty, etc. But it could also be in the form of backing off supporting North Korea. After all, North Korea gets 100% of its economic and military support from China. Without China's support, with the stiff sanctions that it is facing, North Korea would collapse in a very short time. China does not want North Korea to collapse and be absorbed by South Korea, that is why it is still stubbornly supports North Korea.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
U.S. - Russia Relations
Russia has had a love-hate relationship with the West since the days of Peter the Great in the 17th Century. On the one hand, Russia is seen as an Eastern "European" country, on the other hand, many historians and sociologists refer to Russia as being Eurasian, not only because of its geographic location (most of Russia's real estate is in Asia), but also because of Russian culture, mentality. Many point at the long subjugation by the Mongols, the Golden Horde that ruled Russia for many years until Russia was finally able to shed the Mongol yoke. It was Peter the Great that "Westernized" Russia by forcibly making his boyars wear Western attire and cutting off their long beards! It was Peter the Great who built the first "European" city in Russia, St. Petersburg, which was called the "Window to the West!" But throughout history, beginning with Peter the Great's era, Russia has fought with European nations on and off and its people had suffered greatly, the last war being the Second World War in which Russia lost 25 million souls to the Nazi Germany onslaught!
Despite our physical separation from Europe, we have always been considered part of that "Western Bloc," a part to which Russia never belonged. There was a period in the 19th Century when we could have drawn much closer to Russia. But Russia was always in the throes of one type of disorder/disaster or another. We managed to pull a terrific deal, possibly the greatest bargain of all time, when we purchased Alaska from a terribly mismanaged Russian government. Alaska, even today has a significant native population with Russian surnames and towns and locations with Russian names. Russians, at one time, were down to as far south as San Francisco Bay in California! There are still remains of their presence in the form of old forts and cities and towns that were named by them. The annually flooding Russian River in Sonoma County was named so by the Russians, as well as many of the smaller towns in the area. Perhaps the best known of Russian named towns is called Sebastapol in Sonoma County. Yes, you guessed it. It was named after the port city in Crimea, Ukraine. I think it helps to support Russia's claim that Ukraine is part of Russia, since the town in Sonoma County, California was so named almost 200 years ago!
Russia always looked upon America as a country that they would have liked to identify with, to have closer ties. Like Russia, America was big with varied terrain and climate. Like Russia, it is not in Europe yet is settled predominantly by European descendants. At the same time, during the industrial revolution, America was going full speed ahead and in many respects, getting ahead of Europe. But, America always felt a closer bond, closer ties to Europe. Europeans have always looked upon Russians as "Eurasians," not quite up to their standards! In short, snobbery and racism prevailed in the relationship between Russians and Europeans. Anyone who has done any reading in Russian literature will pick up on it right away. All great Russian masters, Tolstoy, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, all refer to this relationship, the Russian inferiority complex vs. European snobbery or superiority complex.
Unfortunately, America, being tied closer to Europe, also developed this mentality and attitude towards Russia. The past seventy years of communist rule in Russia didn't help matters, especially the last half a century of cold war! An average American views Russia or Russians as not anything like Europe or Europeans. Russians are mostly seen as being crude, rough, lacking refinement. Russian people, and Russian leaders in particular, are keenly aware of this. It was only the old aristocracy of the 19th Century that did not have this inferiority complex. But then, the aristocracy was wiped out by the Bolsheviks. Since that time, beginning with Lenin, all Russian leaders have felt that they were looked down upon. Every last one of them, without exception, felt like the old comedian Rodney Dangerfield - who got no respect! Now, despite the demise of communism, this inferiority complex and separation from the rest of Europe still persists. The presence of NATO only increases this paranoia and feeling of disrespect by the West.
Our leaders, throughout the 20th and now the 21st Century, have managed to continue to project that attitude of superiority towards Russians. Stalin was keenly aware of it and hated the West and America for it with a passion. The fact that the "Allies" held off opening a second front for so long was never forgotten, not by Stalin, not by Russians in general. Perhaps Russians are being overly sensitive, but once they perceive that a slight had been made against them, they tend to bear a grudge. That is what has happened in the past in our dealings with the Russian leaders and government in general.
Hillary Clinton's meeting with Putin when she was a Secretary of State essentially made her a life long enemy of Putin. Although during photo ops everyone was smiling and being lovey-dovey, Hillary's general demeanor didn't escape Putin. Despite the fact that she granted a generous concession by giving 20% of our uranium deposits to Russia (I am still puzzled by that deal!) her general attitude was that of someone of superior position dealing with an inferior and her arrogance did not escape the Russians. At the time, Putin was the Prime Minister of Russia, but everyone knew he ran the show. Hillary was but the Secretary of State, not the President, not even the Vice President of the United States, although obviously she was preparing her way for the presidency! But, she took on an almost condescending attitude with Putin, without realizing how much she was antagonizing him. But then again, perhaps she knew and did it anyway. She came away from that meeting singing praises of Putin and taking credit for having vastly improved U.S. - Russia relations, which had been somewhat sour at the time. No doubt she felt that he was too dense to see through her. But then, we all know that it was Hillary's arrogance that brought about her downfall!
Putin, on the other hand, never forgot that encounter with Hillary. It is not surprising then that during our elections he tried his best to do everything to destroy her chances! Now, it may seem very small of Russians to react in such manner to someone who takes on a superior attitude, but that is the way it is and has been for over a century! There is indeed a part of Russian psyche, mentality, that is Asian. Although Russians may not use the term "face" nor any of the other expressions used by the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans. Russians still place enormous value on keeping "face" and also not talking "down" to a person. We, on the otherhand, have had a history of our leaders behaving very high handedly, especially when dealing with Russians. We have learned through the years to be more careful when dealing with Asian leaders, and for the most part we manage OK, with the exception of Kim Jung Un of North Korea. But then, who can get along with that nut! But for some reason, we seem to forget to be more careful when we deal with Russians, and time and again step on their toes.
I don't know whether there is real "history" between Putin and Trump or that Putin has some damaging information on Trump, as some insist. But Trump's nice guy approach with Putin is not necessarily a bad thing, despite what McCain and others say. Considering the circumstances, had Hillary won the election, she would not have been able to open any sort of a dialogue with Russia and our relations with that country would have been at a dead end from the start. Trump, it seems, at least has access to starting worthwhile discussions with Putin by not antagonizing him. I know it all sounds very childish and something out of a schoolyard, but, that's how things work even at the highest level! Now with Tillerson as the Secretary of State, we truly have the ability to talk to Russians meaningfully.
Russians, like many other cultures, place great value in personal relationships. The reason Angela Merkel gets along so well with Putin is not only because she is fluent in Russian and he in German, but they have a very close personal relationship. Germany, essentially, has no worries about their natural gas supply, even if the rest of Europe is cut off, Putin will continue to supply to Germany! Such is the value of personal relationships in dealing with Russia. We have never had anyone who has had a good personal relationship with Russia's leaders, not in hundreds of years that we dealt with that country! Stalin hated Roosevelt, Khrushchev hated Kennedy, it goes on and on. The first time there was possible relationship and dialogue was with Gorbachev and Reagan!
It will be interesting to see where this new situation will lead. The new Secretary of State obviously has an "in" with the Russian leadership, including Putin. That is both good and bad. Good because he will be able to talk to them and they will listen and not be as suspicious of his words as they would with someone they didn't know. Bad, because the American public, the anti Trump camp, may see this as U.S. going hand in hand with that nasty Russian government. Who knows what they will be up to. As for Trump's relationship with Putin, who knows? I think Trump is just using his business acumen and saying nice things so as to pave the way for truly starting a new chapter in U.S. - Russia relations.
Despite our physical separation from Europe, we have always been considered part of that "Western Bloc," a part to which Russia never belonged. There was a period in the 19th Century when we could have drawn much closer to Russia. But Russia was always in the throes of one type of disorder/disaster or another. We managed to pull a terrific deal, possibly the greatest bargain of all time, when we purchased Alaska from a terribly mismanaged Russian government. Alaska, even today has a significant native population with Russian surnames and towns and locations with Russian names. Russians, at one time, were down to as far south as San Francisco Bay in California! There are still remains of their presence in the form of old forts and cities and towns that were named by them. The annually flooding Russian River in Sonoma County was named so by the Russians, as well as many of the smaller towns in the area. Perhaps the best known of Russian named towns is called Sebastapol in Sonoma County. Yes, you guessed it. It was named after the port city in Crimea, Ukraine. I think it helps to support Russia's claim that Ukraine is part of Russia, since the town in Sonoma County, California was so named almost 200 years ago!
Russia always looked upon America as a country that they would have liked to identify with, to have closer ties. Like Russia, America was big with varied terrain and climate. Like Russia, it is not in Europe yet is settled predominantly by European descendants. At the same time, during the industrial revolution, America was going full speed ahead and in many respects, getting ahead of Europe. But, America always felt a closer bond, closer ties to Europe. Europeans have always looked upon Russians as "Eurasians," not quite up to their standards! In short, snobbery and racism prevailed in the relationship between Russians and Europeans. Anyone who has done any reading in Russian literature will pick up on it right away. All great Russian masters, Tolstoy, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, all refer to this relationship, the Russian inferiority complex vs. European snobbery or superiority complex.
Unfortunately, America, being tied closer to Europe, also developed this mentality and attitude towards Russia. The past seventy years of communist rule in Russia didn't help matters, especially the last half a century of cold war! An average American views Russia or Russians as not anything like Europe or Europeans. Russians are mostly seen as being crude, rough, lacking refinement. Russian people, and Russian leaders in particular, are keenly aware of this. It was only the old aristocracy of the 19th Century that did not have this inferiority complex. But then, the aristocracy was wiped out by the Bolsheviks. Since that time, beginning with Lenin, all Russian leaders have felt that they were looked down upon. Every last one of them, without exception, felt like the old comedian Rodney Dangerfield - who got no respect! Now, despite the demise of communism, this inferiority complex and separation from the rest of Europe still persists. The presence of NATO only increases this paranoia and feeling of disrespect by the West.
Our leaders, throughout the 20th and now the 21st Century, have managed to continue to project that attitude of superiority towards Russians. Stalin was keenly aware of it and hated the West and America for it with a passion. The fact that the "Allies" held off opening a second front for so long was never forgotten, not by Stalin, not by Russians in general. Perhaps Russians are being overly sensitive, but once they perceive that a slight had been made against them, they tend to bear a grudge. That is what has happened in the past in our dealings with the Russian leaders and government in general.
Hillary Clinton's meeting with Putin when she was a Secretary of State essentially made her a life long enemy of Putin. Although during photo ops everyone was smiling and being lovey-dovey, Hillary's general demeanor didn't escape Putin. Despite the fact that she granted a generous concession by giving 20% of our uranium deposits to Russia (I am still puzzled by that deal!) her general attitude was that of someone of superior position dealing with an inferior and her arrogance did not escape the Russians. At the time, Putin was the Prime Minister of Russia, but everyone knew he ran the show. Hillary was but the Secretary of State, not the President, not even the Vice President of the United States, although obviously she was preparing her way for the presidency! But, she took on an almost condescending attitude with Putin, without realizing how much she was antagonizing him. But then again, perhaps she knew and did it anyway. She came away from that meeting singing praises of Putin and taking credit for having vastly improved U.S. - Russia relations, which had been somewhat sour at the time. No doubt she felt that he was too dense to see through her. But then, we all know that it was Hillary's arrogance that brought about her downfall!
Putin, on the other hand, never forgot that encounter with Hillary. It is not surprising then that during our elections he tried his best to do everything to destroy her chances! Now, it may seem very small of Russians to react in such manner to someone who takes on a superior attitude, but that is the way it is and has been for over a century! There is indeed a part of Russian psyche, mentality, that is Asian. Although Russians may not use the term "face" nor any of the other expressions used by the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans. Russians still place enormous value on keeping "face" and also not talking "down" to a person. We, on the otherhand, have had a history of our leaders behaving very high handedly, especially when dealing with Russians. We have learned through the years to be more careful when dealing with Asian leaders, and for the most part we manage OK, with the exception of Kim Jung Un of North Korea. But then, who can get along with that nut! But for some reason, we seem to forget to be more careful when we deal with Russians, and time and again step on their toes.
I don't know whether there is real "history" between Putin and Trump or that Putin has some damaging information on Trump, as some insist. But Trump's nice guy approach with Putin is not necessarily a bad thing, despite what McCain and others say. Considering the circumstances, had Hillary won the election, she would not have been able to open any sort of a dialogue with Russia and our relations with that country would have been at a dead end from the start. Trump, it seems, at least has access to starting worthwhile discussions with Putin by not antagonizing him. I know it all sounds very childish and something out of a schoolyard, but, that's how things work even at the highest level! Now with Tillerson as the Secretary of State, we truly have the ability to talk to Russians meaningfully.
Russians, like many other cultures, place great value in personal relationships. The reason Angela Merkel gets along so well with Putin is not only because she is fluent in Russian and he in German, but they have a very close personal relationship. Germany, essentially, has no worries about their natural gas supply, even if the rest of Europe is cut off, Putin will continue to supply to Germany! Such is the value of personal relationships in dealing with Russia. We have never had anyone who has had a good personal relationship with Russia's leaders, not in hundreds of years that we dealt with that country! Stalin hated Roosevelt, Khrushchev hated Kennedy, it goes on and on. The first time there was possible relationship and dialogue was with Gorbachev and Reagan!
It will be interesting to see where this new situation will lead. The new Secretary of State obviously has an "in" with the Russian leadership, including Putin. That is both good and bad. Good because he will be able to talk to them and they will listen and not be as suspicious of his words as they would with someone they didn't know. Bad, because the American public, the anti Trump camp, may see this as U.S. going hand in hand with that nasty Russian government. Who knows what they will be up to. As for Trump's relationship with Putin, who knows? I think Trump is just using his business acumen and saying nice things so as to pave the way for truly starting a new chapter in U.S. - Russia relations.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
The Disputed Islands
After posting the blog on US - China Relations where I mention the disputed islands as one of the issues, I realized that perhaps a bit more explanation and history is needed about these islands. This chain of tiny uninhabited islands called Senkaku Islands in Japanese and Diaoyu Islands in Chinese were first supposedly discovered by the Chinese in the 15th Century. From that point on, they were supposedly claimed by the succession of Imperial Dynasties that ruled China. But they were never settled or anything was ever built on them by the Chinese. However, in the aftermath of the first Sino-Japanese War in which Japan emerged victorious, the islands became Japanese territory in 1894 and in 1895 were officially annexed by Japan. There are a total of 8 small islands, all uninhabited, in the chain located south west of the Ryukyu Islands chain and east of Taiwan. Japanese consider these islands to be a part of the Ryukyu Islands chain, and their location would certainly suggest that they are indeed part of that chain.
In 1945, at the end of World War Two, the islands came under U.S. administration just as the entire Ryukyu Islands chain had become. In 1972 when Okinawa and the entire Ryukyu Islands reverted to Japan, the 8 tiny Senkaku Islands reverted to Japan as part of the Ryukyus. It is quite apparent that as far as U.S. and Japan are concerned, the Senkaku Islands are Japanese.
The islands had never really been inhabited. At one point before World War Two, an enterprising Japanese businessman tried to establish a fish processing plant on the biggest of the 8 islands. That didn't last long and the project was abandoned. In the 1970s and 80s some exploratory work was conducted by geologists and it was determined that the islands could possibly yield some natural gas or even petroleum with off shore drilling. However, there is no actual proof that either natural gas or oil could be found under or around the islands. No doubt this has raised interest with China which is desperate for sources for both natural gas and especially petroleum!
But, as I mentioned in the earlier blog, that isn't main reason for China's interest in the islands. The islands are located only a short distance from Okinawa! If China was to establish bases on those islands with airstrips, it would certainly present a great threat to Japan and the U.S. bases on Okinawa! Chinese have developed a system of clearing the beaches on small islands to create landing strips. These islands are mostly mountainous, but all have beach areas that can be expanded to create landing strips! In short, with only one aircraft carrier to their entire fleet, China is creating small landing strips on islands off its coast. Landing strips on Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu in Chinese!) would be a tremendous plus to the Chinese! If on top of that they happen to strike natural gas and oil, well, that would be a real bonus! But first they have to regain ownership after losing it to Japan over a 120 years ago! So, I think you can see why they are so insistent on claiming ownership of those islands!
In 1945, at the end of World War Two, the islands came under U.S. administration just as the entire Ryukyu Islands chain had become. In 1972 when Okinawa and the entire Ryukyu Islands reverted to Japan, the 8 tiny Senkaku Islands reverted to Japan as part of the Ryukyus. It is quite apparent that as far as U.S. and Japan are concerned, the Senkaku Islands are Japanese.
The islands had never really been inhabited. At one point before World War Two, an enterprising Japanese businessman tried to establish a fish processing plant on the biggest of the 8 islands. That didn't last long and the project was abandoned. In the 1970s and 80s some exploratory work was conducted by geologists and it was determined that the islands could possibly yield some natural gas or even petroleum with off shore drilling. However, there is no actual proof that either natural gas or oil could be found under or around the islands. No doubt this has raised interest with China which is desperate for sources for both natural gas and especially petroleum!
But, as I mentioned in the earlier blog, that isn't main reason for China's interest in the islands. The islands are located only a short distance from Okinawa! If China was to establish bases on those islands with airstrips, it would certainly present a great threat to Japan and the U.S. bases on Okinawa! Chinese have developed a system of clearing the beaches on small islands to create landing strips. These islands are mostly mountainous, but all have beach areas that can be expanded to create landing strips! In short, with only one aircraft carrier to their entire fleet, China is creating small landing strips on islands off its coast. Landing strips on Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu in Chinese!) would be a tremendous plus to the Chinese! If on top of that they happen to strike natural gas and oil, well, that would be a real bonus! But first they have to regain ownership after losing it to Japan over a 120 years ago! So, I think you can see why they are so insistent on claiming ownership of those islands!
U.S. - China Relations
I think everyone is more or less aware of the fact that U.S.- China relations have been somewhat strained lately. The news media would like to create an impression that everything was nice and rosy until Trump administration came to Washington and started a confrontational policy with China. Indeed, Trump himself has said things that raised the hackles of some Chinese leaders. But the U.S.- China relations took a sour turn quite a while back. China's insistence of claiming some uninhabited islands in South China Sea as their territory has been a source of constant disagreement with Japan. Japan has claimed these islands for a long time, and U.S. recognizes these islands as Japanese territory. Under the U.S.- Japan Security Agreement, U.S. is committed to help Japan protect its territory. So, there is constant show of force by all parties involved with ships and planes being dispatch to the islands. This has been going on for a number of years.
The other thing that has been happening which the U.S. public has not been informed about by the news media with any degree of consistency, is that China has periodically tightened restrictions in various forms on American internet companies and other media outlets as well as on various nongovernmental organizations. Tariffs on U.S. made goods have been stiff and continue to be high making it very difficult for U.S. products to be competitive. Thanks largely to Chinese consumers' seemingly insatiable appetite for anything "American," U.S. products still manage to sell. But it is an unfair tariff system that is lopsidedly in favor of domestically made products. The situation reached a point where two years ago Obama Administration formed a Task Force to study and come up with a solution to the problem. The Task Force included many China experts, including Winston Lord, the former U.S. Ambassador to China. Not surprisingly, the Task Force's finding was that China's practices towards the U.S. was unfair and damaging to U.S. trade with that country.
So, Trump's claim that our trade relationship with China is heavily in their favor is true. We have been taken advantage of by China and continue to be "exploited" by them. Sure, the American consumer is getting inexpensive products from China. Should our trade agreement with China stop, the American consumer will suffer. Yes, we will have to pay more for certain items that we are now getting cheaply from China. But for that "advantage," we are being exploited by the Chinese in a major fashion. There is no other word for it, exploitation is the only proper description of our trade relations with China. China has put us in a position where we think we absolutely need all those things that we are getting from them!
A year ago, before even the idea that Trump would be our president would have been inconceivable, Steve Bannon, Trump's Chief Strategist, stated in a radio interview that we would be at war with China within 5 to 10 years in South China Sea. I think Bannon was being overly dramatic. Perhaps he was trying to grab the attention of listeners with a sound bite that would resonate. But a year ago, hardly anyone paid any attention to what he said. Today, of course, all of the Trump critics have jumped on the bandwagon and dug up the old tapes of that radio interview and are bandying about his predictions about war with China. What they and the news media are now saying is, of course, that Trump and his people are driving us to a war with China!
I don't believe we will go to war with China. Perhaps an unfortunate incident might occur in South China Seas over those disputed islands and some trigger happy pilot or ship's gunner might open fire, causing an exchange of fire. But a full blown war will not take place. China's primary goal at present is to become the regional economic and military power. I believe they are very close to being the regional economic power, having attained the status of world's second largest economy! Militarily they have the largest army in the world, but they still lag behind many countries in technology and advanced weaponry. China is a nuclear power, but its army is not as modern or technologically versed as the smaller South Korean army or Japanese army (Self Defense Force) and even Taiwanese army! They have the bodies, the numbers, but still lack the more sophisticated training and weapons. China has only one aircraft carrier to defend its seas. To make up for lack of aircraft carriers, China has developed a system of establishing landing fields on the shores of outlying islands. This is one reason why the disputed islands with Japan are so important to them. It would give them landing fields for their aircrafts closer to Japan!
Politically, China knows that it will not be able to sway either Japan or South Korea to join their camp, Japan and Korea, by virtue of the security agreements are officially tied to the U.S. Of course, Taiwan is also out of their zone of influence. So, China tries to win over other countries in the region. They are very chummy with Philippines and generally are on good terms with other Southeast Asian countries. Interestingly, the tiny city nation of Singapore is not in Chinese camp! Surprisingly, or not surprisingly, Australia is very dependent on China for trade and has in many ways allied itself with China. It is, of course, important for Australia to be on good terms with China, the military and economic power in the region. So, if we get involved with China in a trade war or, god forbid, a shooting spat, don't count on Australia to take our side! I know we share a common language and much of our entertainment industry has been bought up by Australian conglomerates, but when push comes to shove, and their survival is at stake, they will chose regional loyalty!
All of the above is, of course, just supposition! But our problems with China, and the continuing disagreements over trade practices is real, not a supposition. Trump's claim that we are being taken to the "cleaners" by China is real as well. Are we going to continue to be the "patsy" or are we going to change the arrangements that we have with China? There's still a lot of talk about Russian hacking of our computers etc. That is all true. But China has been one of the biggest headaches when it comes to computer hacking. They have constantly been trying to hack into our military and industrial computer systems to steal military and technology secrets. They have been quite brazen about it! I don't believe there will be an actual "shooting" war with China, but a trade war is very possible. In fact, the trade war has already started!
The other thing that has been happening which the U.S. public has not been informed about by the news media with any degree of consistency, is that China has periodically tightened restrictions in various forms on American internet companies and other media outlets as well as on various nongovernmental organizations. Tariffs on U.S. made goods have been stiff and continue to be high making it very difficult for U.S. products to be competitive. Thanks largely to Chinese consumers' seemingly insatiable appetite for anything "American," U.S. products still manage to sell. But it is an unfair tariff system that is lopsidedly in favor of domestically made products. The situation reached a point where two years ago Obama Administration formed a Task Force to study and come up with a solution to the problem. The Task Force included many China experts, including Winston Lord, the former U.S. Ambassador to China. Not surprisingly, the Task Force's finding was that China's practices towards the U.S. was unfair and damaging to U.S. trade with that country.
So, Trump's claim that our trade relationship with China is heavily in their favor is true. We have been taken advantage of by China and continue to be "exploited" by them. Sure, the American consumer is getting inexpensive products from China. Should our trade agreement with China stop, the American consumer will suffer. Yes, we will have to pay more for certain items that we are now getting cheaply from China. But for that "advantage," we are being exploited by the Chinese in a major fashion. There is no other word for it, exploitation is the only proper description of our trade relations with China. China has put us in a position where we think we absolutely need all those things that we are getting from them!
A year ago, before even the idea that Trump would be our president would have been inconceivable, Steve Bannon, Trump's Chief Strategist, stated in a radio interview that we would be at war with China within 5 to 10 years in South China Sea. I think Bannon was being overly dramatic. Perhaps he was trying to grab the attention of listeners with a sound bite that would resonate. But a year ago, hardly anyone paid any attention to what he said. Today, of course, all of the Trump critics have jumped on the bandwagon and dug up the old tapes of that radio interview and are bandying about his predictions about war with China. What they and the news media are now saying is, of course, that Trump and his people are driving us to a war with China!
I don't believe we will go to war with China. Perhaps an unfortunate incident might occur in South China Seas over those disputed islands and some trigger happy pilot or ship's gunner might open fire, causing an exchange of fire. But a full blown war will not take place. China's primary goal at present is to become the regional economic and military power. I believe they are very close to being the regional economic power, having attained the status of world's second largest economy! Militarily they have the largest army in the world, but they still lag behind many countries in technology and advanced weaponry. China is a nuclear power, but its army is not as modern or technologically versed as the smaller South Korean army or Japanese army (Self Defense Force) and even Taiwanese army! They have the bodies, the numbers, but still lack the more sophisticated training and weapons. China has only one aircraft carrier to defend its seas. To make up for lack of aircraft carriers, China has developed a system of establishing landing fields on the shores of outlying islands. This is one reason why the disputed islands with Japan are so important to them. It would give them landing fields for their aircrafts closer to Japan!
Politically, China knows that it will not be able to sway either Japan or South Korea to join their camp, Japan and Korea, by virtue of the security agreements are officially tied to the U.S. Of course, Taiwan is also out of their zone of influence. So, China tries to win over other countries in the region. They are very chummy with Philippines and generally are on good terms with other Southeast Asian countries. Interestingly, the tiny city nation of Singapore is not in Chinese camp! Surprisingly, or not surprisingly, Australia is very dependent on China for trade and has in many ways allied itself with China. It is, of course, important for Australia to be on good terms with China, the military and economic power in the region. So, if we get involved with China in a trade war or, god forbid, a shooting spat, don't count on Australia to take our side! I know we share a common language and much of our entertainment industry has been bought up by Australian conglomerates, but when push comes to shove, and their survival is at stake, they will chose regional loyalty!
All of the above is, of course, just supposition! But our problems with China, and the continuing disagreements over trade practices is real, not a supposition. Trump's claim that we are being taken to the "cleaners" by China is real as well. Are we going to continue to be the "patsy" or are we going to change the arrangements that we have with China? There's still a lot of talk about Russian hacking of our computers etc. That is all true. But China has been one of the biggest headaches when it comes to computer hacking. They have constantly been trying to hack into our military and industrial computer systems to steal military and technology secrets. They have been quite brazen about it! I don't believe there will be an actual "shooting" war with China, but a trade war is very possible. In fact, the trade war has already started!
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