About a month ago the announcement was made that NATO is opening an office in Japan…..I let my opinion be known on how much I thought this is a bad idea…..but read it for yourself…….
NATO Moves East
Looks like not all of NATO’s members are down with this stupidity…..
French President Emmanuel Macron objects to NATO’s plans to open a liaison office in Japan and thinks the alliance should stay in the North Atlantic, Financial Times reported on Monday.
NATO’s push to open its first office in the Asia Pacific is part of the US’s plans to get its Western allies more involved in its strategy against China in the region. NATO’s plans to open a Japan office were first reported by Nikkei Asia in early May, drawing a rebuke from Beijing.
People familiar with the matter told Financial Times that France’s position has complicated NATO talks on the Japan office, which have been ongoing for months. A French official said that Paris believes the NATO charter limits the alliance’s geographic range to the North Atlantic.
Macron has said publicly that he doesn’t think NATO should expand beyond the North Atlantic. “If … we push Nato to enlarge the spectrum and the geography, we will make a big mistake,” the French leader said last week.
All 31 NATO members need to agree to open a new liaison office, meaning France could potentially block the move. News of France’s position comes nearly two months after Macron said Europe should not follow the US into a conflict with China over Taiwan.
NATO has had its eyes on China for a few years now, and Beijing has repeatedly warned the alliance to stay out of the region. “NATO’s continued eastward foray into the Asia Pacific and interference in regional affairs will inevitably undermine regional peace and stability and stoke camp confrontation. This calls for high vigilance among regional countries,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said last month.
(antiwar.com)
I am glad to see that at least someone in NATO sees the folly in NATO moving East…..I agree as the name implies NATO should restrict itself to the North Atlantic.
Moving East is not going to work out well….it will not insure peace…the opposite maybe the outcome.
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”
I’m with Macron. Provoking China is pointless as long as the West keeps importing so much that is made in China. Do they forget who makes all their Apple i-phones and Nike shoes?
Best wishes, Pete.
This is a US idea since we are told just how dangerous China has become…..I too am with Macron. chuq
I think other countries should get involved. China knows it can defeat the U.S. The sooner we realize it, the better.
The nations of the region should work together to secure the region and not depend on the US for everything. chuq
Bravo!
I try. chuq
I tend to agree.. for now… that NATO should remain NATO. The imagery of a bunch of “white” Europeans (or their descendant nations) asserting influence in Asia.. again… invokes the “colonial” days. I think resurrecting some concept of the old SEATO would be a good idea to build upon to promote the collective interests in the Asian region. Better imagery to allow European membership in a SEATO-like organization than allowing Asian countries entry into European NATO.
Resurrecting SEATO is a fine idea and I would support it if they did the heavy lifting for their own defense. chuq
I would agree. Interestingly, something like a SEATO agreement would lean more heavily on naval forces than does NATO given many of the presumed member states are island nations and only approachable by sea and air, and far less by land. A totally different military strategy.
You might find this link interesting…along those lines….https://time.com/6183462/battle-of-midway-us-china-japan/ chuq
Yes it was a good link. Thanks.
Glad you liked it…..chuq
Reblogged this on AGR Free Press.
I appreciate the reblog….thank you chuq
I agree. NATO should stay with the European countries and not move EAST. I do believe, as you do, Chuq, that the Pacific region’s politics should not be part of NATO’s sphere. It was not designed for the EAST.
It looks like adventurism to me…..Revive SEATO if this type of thing is needed. chuq