A View from Afar – In this week’s podcast, Paul G. Buchanan and Selwyn Manning discuss: with the United States being viewed as responsible for a monumental botch-up in Afghanistan, how should its traditional security partners, including NATO, position for the future?
- For example; why should the United States of America’s global security partners, in both northern and southern hemispheres, view the USA as a reliable security leader?
When we consider the United States-led conflicts in Libya, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, there is a pattern that stands out: these are all wars of opportunity or choice, rather than necessity.
In analysing this, it follows that lessons learnt by NATO and other global security partners may very well be to not follow the USA into such conflicts if existential threats do not exist.
Also of consideration is this:
- Are the United States’ failures tied solely to incompetent leadership?
- Or is this clearly apparent incompetence caused by those within the star-general-ranks of occupational forces command?
- Or is this problem institutionalised within a morphed alliance-of-incompetence from a broad-base of institutions located within the United States security-defence apparatus?
Now, the United States is shifting its global defence strategy to counter the rise of China in the Western Pacific and Indo-Pacific regions.
- Should the states and economies of the Asia Pacific fall in behind the USA once again and risk being drawn into another unnecessary and protracted war?
- And considering the United States’ domestic situation being insecure and democratically chaotic, should the USA lead from the rear but only after it gets its own house in order?
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Not sure that I heard correctly , but was Paul Buchanan’s critique of the US’s approaching military (from the air and sea)attack on China to do with it’s effectiveness, rather than the utter catastrophic folly of further war?
Earlier in the broadcast I detected a much more pacifist sensibility
These days , with warfare being carried out via media, culture, economics as well as military posturing, I find I view all news reports about the Uighurs for instance with a very wary eye
Hi Francesca, it seemed to me Paul was referring to its air and sea effectiveness in such conflicts, like commenting on how effective it may be in achieving its goal/s in that kind of conflict, rather than a values-based statement on that element. Later, for example, he cautions against US-led security coalitions and gives a recommendation that traditional US security partners in the Asia Pacific region (including Australia) should position their own national security interests as a primary consideration instead of falling into line when the US comes calling for support in any future conflict with China.
PS: We will be drilling down into this scenario in next week’s episode. If you can, put a question to us while we are live (Thursday, midday NZ time).
Thanks Selwyn , will tune in
I particularly liked the way Paul pointed out how our defence forces leadership are probably more attuned to each other and the US military leadership, than their own nation’s wider interests.
I imagine career mobility depends on these overseas actions, following the “big boys” into action
I’d also like to see our foreign policy decisions publicly explained/debated more extensively and transparently.
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