politics

In message to China, Biden to meet online with leaders of Australia, India, Japan

10 Comments
By Shaun TANDON

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10 Comments
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India isn't posing the threat to others that China is. And the US has a history of supporting regimes that may be authoritarian in order to confront what it considers to be bigger adversaries.

16 ( +20 / -4 )

@Desert Tortoise

Sure, let’s indulge in our favorite past time of “whataboutism” (“Modi is as bad as Xi!!”) and ignore the threat, as stated in the article, of China “unilaterally changing the status quo” of the entire region. I.e., imperialist expansions.

By just wringing our hands over and over about petty distractions, we won’t know it’s too late until it’s checkmate.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

"Am I the only one here who is of the opinion that Narendra Modi is very nearly as much of an authoritarian, nationalist thug as Xi Jinping? The BJPs policies towards Muslims in India are only slightly less repressive than those of China towards its own Muslim population."

Of course he is. That is why he was more comfortable dealing with the Trump administration which did not raise uncomfortable questions about his past record.

But he is also very pro-American and lived in the US for a few years when he was a lower level BJP worker, so I suppose those credentials will be enough for Biden administration also to overlook his treatment of minorities. After all Biden did give MBS a free pass recently, even though Saudi is not a utopia for minorities either.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Can you really see the US going to war with China over (say) some manufactured islands in the South China Sea or even over Taiwan?

Yes, absolutely and especially in defense of Taiwan. Probably the worst mistake Mr. Xi could make is to misread US support of Taiwan. Taiwan has overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress and with every administration since the Nixon administration.

As for the SCS, remember what the first two wars the US fought as a new nation were about. They were fought against the Ottoman Empire over navigational rights in the Mediterranean Sea, to stop the Ottomans from taking US flagged merchant ships and holding their crews for ransom, or selling them into slavery, unless ships passing through the Med paid "tribute" money to the Ottomans. The day the Chinese try to stop a US or allied ship from passing through the SCS is the day a naval war begins. Don't think otherwise. Navigational rights to international waters is one of those things the US never backs down on.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

The only reason why your country seems to have good relations with India is because you know India is not as strong as China

Your comment ignores geography and the mutual emnity India and the US share against China. India lays astride China's most important sea lane, putting India in a position to cut off China's access to Middle Eastern oil and their ability to ship goods to Europe and Africa, or to protect their base in Djbouti. That does not change my exceedingly low opinion of Mr. Modi, the BJP and the Indian government as a whole. On a purely functional basis the US allying with them makes complete sense, but I cannot pinch my nose shut tight enough not to choke on the stench coming from India's, cough cough, leadership. Another instance of the US being in a position where they have to ally themselves with creeps to advance the interests of the US. I have the same low opinion of Vietnam and Philippines too btw and the US is cultivating both nations as allies against China. It seems like a violation of everything the US claims to stand for to associate with such despotic places.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Am I the only one here who is of the opinion that Narendra Modi is very nearly as much of an authoritarian, nationalist thug as Xi Jinping? The BJPs policies towards Muslims in India are only slightly less repressive than those of China towards its own Muslim population.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

Xi must be shaking in his boots. China is on the march, and I don't think this bunch of geriatrics and incompetents and bit players are in any way capable of intervening. Can you really see the US going to war with China over (say) some manufactured islands in the South China Sea or even over Taiwan? They are more concerned about "extremism" in the military and making it more "gender inclusive".

-9 ( +6 / -15 )

A zoom meeting is newsworthy?

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

ossanamerica:

India isn't posing the threat to others that China is.

Dear, dear , dear. Once again, wearing those rose-tinted glasses again. Ask the muslims what they think about Modi.

The only reason why your country seems to have good relations with India is because you know India is not as strong as China. If India ever poses a threat to America's monopoly of world power, expect America to get nervous. It is NOT willing to share global power with ANY other country.

-13 ( +5 / -18 )

After yesterday's performance at the event announcing the two new generals, it'll be interesting to see whether Biden even remembers which countries leaders he'll be meeting with.

Sad, but he should be seeing out his days by the beach, not as US president. He's clearly suffering cognitive decline and not able to fulfil his role properly. But then again, the intention was for him to be the Democrats' Trojan horse.

-14 ( +5 / -19 )

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