Obama's Asia policy set back by Democrat

Obama's "pivot to Asia" has been a disaster for the American foreign policies. Just talking about it has made Asia into a new Middle East, and a total mess for the American plans.

US elite have already hollowed out the US labor market to China. I don't see what politicians are afraid of.

Reid (known at "Dingy Harry" to conservatives) is not up for election this fall, and anyway represents Nevada, a rare state with substantial union membership due to high numbers of unionized casino workers. Outside of a few states, unions only represent government workers, overall only about 10% of American workers are union members. And of course after 8 years of Democratic hegemony in congress millions of Americans are no longer working at all. The smallest percentage of the population is working in 100 years.

Obama has been Harry;s pocket since Harry became Senate leader. Before he became politician, a long time ago, Lefty used to brag Harri is in his pocket in Lefty;s TV Show until Harry revoked Lefty;s gaming license . We now joke Obama is in Harry;s Pocket. Harry became a politician after he defeated Tea Party;s Sharon. He is against nuclear dump site in Nevada. Nye County plan of collecting waste from 50 sites in 45 states were scrapped and Obama could npt force because of Harry.

US elite have already hollowed out the US labor market to China. I don't see what politicians are afraid of.

...and India. Kiss your IT and Customer Service jobs good-bye.

"a bitterly divided Washington"

I bet this situation continues for awhile. Cripes...

Like Obamacare which are undermined by its own crippling flaws, even if TPP would be established in 2014 or later, there are sufficient reasons to project: it won’t fly high as Obama may believe originally.

Unlike Obamacare that is protected by US Supremes’ ruling, TPP agreements backed by 12 counties have limited enforcement powers in terms of meeting international labor and environmental standard. That alone would be a huge issue looming large on the horizon.

Serrano wrote I bet this situation continues for awhile. Cripes..'

At least until after next Presidential election. Biden? Kerry? Hilary?

TPP is just another opening for companies to export jobs from the U.S. to Asia. The same as NAFTA sending jobs to Mexico.

"and India. Kiss your IT and Customer Service jobs good-bye.

too soon for that maglev101, be another 10 years before china is able to take any of that on - or when the usa is ready to trust them poking in the enterprise databanks as it support.

i am not a union man- but i am not for another scheme to off shore- the usa already is struggling because of the tax savings one gets to off shore the good jobs.

it really is not pretty in the US right now, all the new jobs are in part time service industry- so you are let go due to the economy or due to the off shoring that was happening at the same time. you find that all your education and skills you built up leaves you with a new job at mcdonalds serving burgers.

that's the new jobs - 85000 US dollars to minimum wage part time work

The democrats constituencies, mostly unions, will necessary oppose any trade pact with any country. The unions only care about jobs and benefits for their workers. They don't care about the larger pictures of geopolitics. The TPP is a political party designed to counter China's rise or to put new rules on China that the WTO rules don't cover. If you do this TPP, you'll be accused of giving away American jobs. If you don't do it, you'll be accused of letting China run unchecked. Either way, you're damned. This is very typical in American politics. Doesn't matter what party you are in.

Pivot to Asia or the Strategic Rebalance which Washington prefers to call is nothing but shoring up the presence of U.S. military forces in a vital region especially in Asia-Pacific which is not only directed towards the ascendant China but to literally destroy the rising East Asian Economic Giants like Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Philippine, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Australia. Surprisingly Obama christen himself to be Americas first Pacific president proclaiming America to have supremacy over many sovereign countries of Asia Pacific, including Japan. What is more surprising is that such proclamation was done from the remote corner of Washington D.C, even before consulting the so called Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Nations. To add more insult to the issue, Obama declared that Asia is where the action is going to be yet none of the so call would be TPP members were informed off by what it meant to be the actions to be. However the true colour was revealed from its veil only when his lieutenants rolled out two specific initiatives: (1). A build-up of military forces that is plainly directed against China overtly and covertly against India and Russia, by garnering the support of the so call 12 nations in the name of TPPs free trade agreement. China was explicitly name as it is easier for America to garner support as most of the would-be TPP nations are having overlapping territorial claims and disputes. Another reason why India and Russia were not used openly is mainly because of the complexities of relationship as many TPP nations may have reservation to oblige. (2). The next ambitious initiatives is to bring into an agreement for free trade and investment negotiations known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) which will be later used as a smokescreen to challenge and defend American interest in Asia Pacific. Vowing that the future would be Americas Pacific Century America is secretly planning to create another Middle East in Asia by shifting its Military Bases which has now begun. Americas plain and simple assessment is that, it will take another four decades for the Middle Eastern States to stabilize themselves from the present destroyed situation. America has literally obliterated the Arabs and the Persians by pitching one another which have brought divisions and mistrust that can no longer stand as a challenge to the hegemonic dream of America controlling the world. The only obstacle lies in the rising Asian states. These Asian countries are not only economically rising but will become militarily powerful if the growing trends of economic stability are not destroyed. The only and surest way to defeat them is waging a wedge among the Asian states in the name of TPP. This will not only challenge the rising Asian powers like India, China, Russia etc, but also a means to pitched TPP nations versus the Non-TPP nations, thereby destroying all the Asian nations like as they did to the Middle East countries. Finally, America expect to see the fate of the Middle Eastern States in Asia Pacific drawing them into deadly confrontations, thereby not only destroying the Asian countries but also brightening the prospect of America maintaining the so call Americas Pacific Century.

Mahongnao Feb. 04, 2014 - 06:26AM JST the presence of U.S. military forces in a vital region especially in Asia-Pacific which is not only directed towards the ascendant China but to literally destroy the rising East Asian Economic Giants like Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Philippine, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Australia.

Why don't you explain in your own words, rather than cut and paste, why U.S. forces is there to literally destroy the East Asian Economic giants as U.S. is decreasing military expendures? How is U.S. going to destroy it?

@ To, SF of JP 330 Feb. 04, 2014 - 07:29AM JST, I tried quoting it from The Diplomat & the Herald of New Zealand, yet when I previewed it myself, it all comes in the form of percentage and years, therefore I removed those quotations. However, I explained each and every intentions of America after every such reference. Let me tell you this; America has a hidden agenda in its Policy of Pivot to Asia as it has been laid out clear, but what have not been told is their intentions. They are going to shift the battle front to Asia Pacific from the Middle East in the name of trade agreement. It is no doubt that non-state actors are becoming an active players in international politics, yet states still remains the predominant factors in determining their policies. Therefore very often, in the name of protecting trade partnership, military bases are built up. The great dream of America making Asia as Americas Pacific Century is clear and loud. It does not matter whether America scale back its military budget or not, what we are not actually told publicly is the joint military venture in Research and Development with various so called NATO Allies of Europe and few Asian countries which runs into trillions cannot be said to have cut its military expenditure. America is still by far the single largest spender in military development. The United States is trying to further polarise the already divided Asia by ganging up allies and foes. The historical course of America is clear. Wherever it goes, there is smoke and fire, there is bloodshed and ruin. Just see how a great ally of America like Iraq is finally destroyed falsely implicating them to WMD and Twin Tower Bombing. Just see yourself how America is ganging up with Al Qaeda, Takfiris, Jihadist, and FSA against the Syrian Regime? On the contrary, many senators like Roan Paul believe that World Trade Centre bombing is an insiders job. Well it will not be as rosy as America dreams, yet it will play a spoil sports. The surest and the most reasonable way for America to convince the East & South East Asian Countries is on economic front. How on earth can America convince the East & South East Asian countries that America wants to contain Asian Powers like Russia, India and China and that they want to set its military bases in their courtyard for American aggrandisement? Will the East Asian countries be that foolish to say yes? Therefore it has to come as a smokescreen through Trade Agreement called the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). Their actual dream is to make these Asian States to come under its control and declare Obama as Americas first Pacific president. Just see the audacity declaring President Obama of United States as Americas first Pacific president? I really feel pity for my Asian leaders and policy makers for their inability to comprehend what the actual intention of America is. Just look at Ban Ki Moon as well. Cant we see how he governs the worlds United Nations? Really shabby indeed! Cant he just look back to Kofi Anand of Ghana, the then General Secretary of UNO? For that matter, Indians are the smartest. So long as trade determines the national policy of a state rather than the national policy determining the policy of trade, there is no future for those countries. What East Asian & South East Asian States has been doing is exactly that. Therefore American trade policy determine the Asian National Policy, therefore American TPP determine their national policy. Therefore, they will crumble together with the declining monster. However of late, America realised the impossibilities of actualising their policy. American reach is under constrained due to its economic downfall. There is a hint that President Obama might once again cancel his April 2014 schedule to East Asian & South East Asian States to drum up trade relations so that the agenda of Military Rebalancing can be actuated. How the global scenario will be unfolding in the coming months is to be seen with cross arms.

Mahongnao Feb. 04, 2014 - 05:00PM JST Will the East Asian countries be that foolish to say yes? Therefore it has to come as a smokescreen through Trade Agreement called the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). Their actual dream is to make these Asian States to come under its control and declare Obama as Americas first Pacific president.

China might have much more difficulty in FTA with Australia. You might be surprised to learn that the benefits of FTA to be gained are actually quite limited. The Centre for International Economics and commissioned by the Australia-China Business Council, forecast that Australia’s GDP to gain an annually 0.7%, 20 years after the conclusion of an FTA. This 0.7% increase occurred in a best-case scenario that involved not only full trade liberalization, but full investment liberalization as well. To state the obvious, an FTA with China will do nothing to liberalize trade with the other countries that currently account for two-thirds of Australia’s merchandise exports. This is the inherent limitation of a bilateral trade deal as opposed to a multilateral one. For Australia, they might look elsewhere.

Regarding Japan of the TPP, the average Japanese farm is less than 5 acres, compared with about 440 acres for the average U.S. farm and many farmers are finding it more difficult to make ends meet. In five years, Japanese goverment will remove the aging farmers subsidy that total $46 billion annually. Why should average citizens get penalized for higher price of welfare farming subsidy. Most Japanese farmers have very little money, no youth, and no future with majority of Japan’s farmers that are senior citizens. Due to an aging farmers, J-goverment has to make tough decisions for their future. The country side Japan's farmers is already approached some sort of dead end by the result of depopulation, trade liberalization and depleted government handouts. Japan now nation that now imports over 60 percent of its food. A change in TPP agreement with U.S. could be the end of inefficient rural commercial rice farmers in Japan. So let the consumer decide on buying U.S. rice at fraction (1/5th) of the cost of Japanese rice.