Jets roar as U.S., Japan, Australia conduct drill in Pacific

This is totally unnecessary wasting US taxpayer dollars as well as the Japanese. China don't even have enough stealth fighters and destroyers JUST YET, so it is not the right time for China to fire the first shot.

The only reason I can see is all this exercises is done at the instigation of Japan to keep reminding the world of the big bad China while DIVERTING ATTENTION from the dishonest land grab of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands which is NOT sovereign territory of Japan YET.

The disputed islands need be settled IF EVER, BEFORE Japan have any legitimacy to the islands but only if it is settled legally or through negotiation.

American position: We take NO POSITION on the sovereignty of the disputed islands.

Tony EwFeb. 08, 2013 - 01:58PM JST

American position: We take NO POSITION on the sovereignty of the disputed islands.

I cannot disclose, but you are not catching up with the reality what's going on there. Sounds like you are not in defense industry.

@Tony Ew - the islands are not disputed, they belong to Japan. China is trying every which way to steal them.

Nobody likes fires but fire fighters train constantly - just in case. Same here.

@Psyops, you seem very certain, you should be our witness to the ICJ.

International politics is very interesting, WWII, Japan bombed Pearl Harbour and Darwin (Australia), while America drops 2 atomic bombs in Japan. How ironic! These military excercises is very important, its to keep those who would otherwise be unemployed, employed. Quite frankly is we don't create the bad guys (China), we have no excuse to keep this super fighting machine.

This is totally unnecessary wasting US taxpayer dollars as well as the Japanese. China don't even have enough stealth fighters and destroyers JUST YET, so it is not the right time for China to fire the first shot.

The world doesn't revolve around China, Tony. We do actually do things for other reasons as well.

The only reason I can see is all this exercises is done at the instigation of Japan to keep reminding the world of the big bad China while DIVERTING ATTENTION from the dishonest land grab of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands which is NOT sovereign territory of Japan YET.

That's the only reason, huh? Amazing analytic powers you got there. I don't suppose that, these being "annual" exercises and all, and being planned months and months in advance, counts as a reason?

The disputed islands need be settled IF EVER, BEFORE Japan have any legitimacy to the islands but only if it is settled legally or through negotiation.

You regard negotiation as being other than legal? Not surprising.

American position: We take NO POSITION on the sovereignty of the disputed islands.

Also: "We will defend the islands under the treaty of protection."

International politics is very interesting, WWII, Japan bombed Pearl Harbour and Darwin (Australia), while America drops 2 atomic bombs in Japan. How ironic!

Ahh...it is?

These military excercises is very important, its to keep those who would otherwise be unemployed, employed.

Kind of like every job in existence, yeah. And there's the whole, "Let's make sure our guys with the dangerous weapons know how to use them so they don't do something stupid like lock a weapons system onto another ship as a warning" side of it as well.

Quite frankly is we don't create the bad guys (China), we have no excuse to keep this super fighting machine.

The existence of said bad guy isn't a reason to have a super fighting machine in your corner?

You can post all the history of the subject, whose islands are whose and the reasons why the islands belong to who. That this country did this first, so the other country should respond by doing this.

What should be the main concern for all in involved and the citizens is that all of the recent actions taken by all stop. That this dispute does not and should not continue with military actions. It should be resolved by discussions.

I don't see a problem and most Australians wouldn't either. We have a close military alliance with the US and Japan has been a friend for a long time. Personally I don't trust China.

At the end of the day the military has to train right?

@cabadaje

By your stance I love to see America end up being a PUPPY of Japan letting Japan fan the fire with China by conducting endless drills. True, you have a point here about advance plannings needed but with yearly experiences, this can be done with SHORT NOTICE, no need THAT MUCH planning time right? You will agree that there had being US Japan exercises very often these few months right? Is it necessary to do another one next month and the next and the next?

It will be interesting to hear from you if Japan revise her Constitution to acquire offensive capability, will you support Japan having nukes? Lot's of plutonium there you know? Also will you support US wiggling out of BLIND Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands defense when Japan acquire OFFENSIVE capabilities? After all US did NOT confer sovereignty to the disputed islands, so it seems VERY STUPID to defend them, what say you? I agree US should supply early warning AWACS BUT NO help in actual combat if it do occur. What do you think? It's also YOUR US TAX DOLLARS at work you know!

By your stance I love to see America end up being a PUPPY of Japan letting Japan fan the fire with China by conducting endless drills.

Oh, brother, this is getting embarrassing. Really, Tony, the kindergarten stuff doesn't work on intelligent people. I know the PRC guidebooks must be pretty outdated, but c'mon...

True, you have a point here about advance plannings needed but with yearly experiences, this can be done with SHORT NOTICE, no need THAT MUCH planning time right?

Tony...millions of dollars worth of military hardware and enough explosives to turn most 3rd world countries into 50,000 hole golf courses, moving across several international zones...yes, you do need THAT MUCH planning time, and on occasion, more.

You will agree that there had being US Japan exercises very often these few months right?

Nothing out of the ordinary. Actually, if anything, military exercises in general, particularly joint exercises and exercises in the hot region, have been pruned back due to the sensitivity of the situation.

Oh, sorry, didn't mean to use a word the Chinese are unaware of. "Sensitivity" means that you try to be appreciative of the environment you are in and try not to provoke others when the situation starts getting heated.

Is it necessary to do another one next month and the next and the next?

Not a military man, I take it? Yeah, we train. A lot. Every day in fact. The only ones you hear about are the ones that take place in hot regions, but be assured, a strong military doesn't come about because the pilots and soldiers are sitting around playing cards all day.

It will be interesting to hear from you if Japan revise her Constitution to acquire offensive capability, will you support Japan having nukes?

Nope. Not too crazy about America having them either, but it's a necessary evil.

Lot's of plutonium there you know?

Wrong kind for nukes.

Also will you support US wiggling out of BLIND Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands defense when Japan acquire OFFENSIVE capabilities?

"Blind" islands? What the heck is a blind island?

In all cases, by the time Japan has a military force they are comfortable enough with as a region stabilizer to let the US out of the treaty we have, the islands, will have long been forgotten as a political dispute.

After all US did NOT confer sovereignty to the disputed islands, so it seems VERY STUPID to defend them, what say you?

I say you should try to avoid using words like stupid. The association is too close.

I agree US should supply early warning AWACS BUT NO help in actual combat if it do occur. What do you think?

I think the shortly after the first Chinese military vehicle fires on a JSDF ship, ground control in China will receive a frantic message from said vehicle declaring secondary engagements, followed by static.

America went through the bully phase. We know how bullies think. We know the consequences of bullies going unchecked. We are treaty-bound and duty-obligated to help Japan, and we will, in the best manner the military knows.

It's also YOUR US TAX DOLLARS at work you know!

This isn't a money thing, Tony.

Pull your head in China before you lose more than face. You're not popular and nobody likes your bullying ways. Resounding silence when Japan appealed to Europe for support? Who cares? It's an APAC problem, and guess what? The APAC countries will unite against you. Back down, every dumb move you make just makes things worse.

@cabadaje

It's also YOUR US TAX DOLLARS at work you know!

This isn't a money thing, Tony.

Love to see more Pentagon budget cuts and you say money is not an issue? Perhaps you like to see US print more money and become a third world nation?

Plutonium good enough to make dirty nukes, don't that scare anybody? Terrorists comes to mind.

I say cut off excessive joint military exercises to cool tensions and save US tax dollars!