| Submit your comments on this article |
| International |
| New Alliance Against China |
| 2002-11-27 |
| The real future of the 21st century -- the building of the alliance to contain China -- was on display in New Delhi last week, when two of Beijing's most belligerent critics got together. India's Defense Minister George Fernandes (who says India's nukes are aimed at Beijing, not Pakistan) hosted Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, author of that anti-American bestseller "A Japan That Can Say No." Remind anyone of a Tom Clancy book, Executive Orders? Ishihara called for an India-Japan strategic alliance against the "looming threat" of China, and proposed to symbolize the new partnership with joint India-Japan ventures to build and launch satellites and warplanes and construct Asia's first aerospace industry. Fernandes invited Ishihara to lecture on "India and Japan in the Changing World" at New Delhi's Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. As ISDA president, Fernandes told the meeting he was impressed by Ishihara's "candid observations," particularly the prediction that China would split into "five or six countries in 15 years' time." Possible, lots of different ethnic groups there. Be a bloody divorce, though. Fernandes then took the fiery Japanese on a tour of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and the high-tech Infosys showcase at Bangalore. The Tokyo governor returned the favor with another speech that said China's threats to take over Taiwan were akin to Adolf Hitler's occupation of Austria in 1938. Oh, I bet that went over well in Beijing. That puts an interesting new light on reports from New Delhi that Fernades will take the opportunity of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India next week to lease nuclear submarines and Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bombers from Russia. India would not need long-range bombers for Pakistan. And Russian sources say they "confidently expect" the long-awaited deal for India to acquire the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov to be signed next week. India also wants to accelerate Russia's delivery of T-90s tanks and Su-30 warplanes, and is shopping for the Smerch multi-launch rocket system. India wants to be a major player in the region. This can't be making their neighbors sleep very easy. During WW2, Japan tried to get Indian troops to overthrow the British rule and join them. Old habits die hard. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 Hey--wait a minute--you can't compare the Clancy novel, after all, ISTR, the Chinese were part of that partnership, ALLIED with them (or at least ISTR...it's been awhile...) |
| Posted by: AW 2002-11-27 18:02:33 |
| #1 Tom Clancy's starting to hit way too many nails on the head. The Jean Dixon of our time. But, he knew I'd say that. Australia gets even more watchful. All that land, so few people. |
| Posted by: Chuck 2002-11-27 14:21:07 |