Quote: (09-21-2015 02:54 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:
Peace comes when there is a balance of power. America can't and shouldn't be everywhere. The best thing for Asia would be a balance of power, where all countries know that the other can bite. Right now, Japan has no deterrence against North Korea and China without America. It needs its own deterrence capability.
I agree. The pacifist article in the Japanese constitution is archaic, it was written at a time in which the US expected to be the world's sole nuclear superpower, an era that lasted about 5 years. Moreover, I believe the article prohibits aggressive war, self-defense is still permitted, and the geopolitical situation lends credence to that justification.
Each and every country has a right and responsibility to properly defend itself, and I think it's specious to suggest this ceases to apply because of actions taken many generations ago in a completely separate context.
By the way, Pakistan likes China because China humbled India in the early 1960's and continues to be the main counterweight to Indian military power in the region. I think it's far more out of anti-Indian spite (which is essentially Pakistan's raison d'etre anyway) than pro-Chinese sentiment.