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Tadae Takubo

【#234】Obama’s Appeasement Putting U.S. Alliances in Danger?

Tadae Takubo ／ 2014.02.19 (Wed)


February 17, 2014

　　　　　　U.S. President Barack Obama strongly hopes to refrain from being involved in wars related to U.S. allies or friends. This may be the reason the Obama administration chose to have negotiations or consultations even when the United States had to demonstrate its military strength. As far as there are domestic woes including public opinion’s priorities given to domestic problems and a budget deficit's impact on military spending, the Obama administration may have to maintain its inward-looking attitude. If such attitude is excessive, however, the international order may collapse, shaking U.S. alliances.

Appeal by the Philippines
　　　　　　In an interview with The New York Times on February 4, Philippine President Benigno Aquino gave the world a strong appeal against China's effective control on his country's Scarborough Shoal.
　　　　　　Aquino likened China's pressure on the Philippines to Adolf Hitler's demand for Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland at the 1938 Munich Conference that triggered World War II. Then British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain appeased Hitler to prevent war.
　　　　　　In 2012, China and the Philippines had a military standoff at the disputed shoal in the South China Sea. Even after the Philippine forces withdrew from waters near the shoal due to U.S. mediation, however, Chinese troops have remained there to enhance their effective control, Aquino claimed.
　　　　　　While quite a few Filipinos have raised opposition to enhanced Philippine-U.S. military relationship that could remind them of the past colonial rule, the Philippines and the Unites States have been allies under their mutual defense treaty. Nevertheless, President Aquino is exclaiming his lamentation to the world.

Even pro-U.S. forces give up on Obama
　　　　　　In the Middle East, the United States has given priority to Saudi Arabia in a strategic attempt to counter Iran proceeding with a nuclear development program. But the Obama administration launched talks with Iran last autumn, when the U.S. Syrian policy failed.
　　　　　　The U.S.-Iran talks came as a great shock to Saudi Arabia, prompting some leading Saudi royal family members to publicly assert opinions against the United States and for going nuclear. In a manner to counter Shiite and affiliated Muslims including Syria's Assad regime, Iraq's Maliki administration and Lebanon's Hizbollah as well as Iran, Sunni Muslims have grown vigorous and stepped up confrontation with Shiites. The development should be linked to Sunni leader Saudi Arabia.
　　　　　　The Japan-U.S. alliance may not be shaken. But a growing number of Japanese people view the alliance with cold eyes after the Obama administration easily moved in step with China and South Korea to criticize Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Yasukuni Shrine as "disappointing," and after some U.S. policymakers joined an international chorus to unduly demean Japan. It should be noted that Japanese media organizations, which had once opposed the Japan-U.S. security treaty, have vigorously welcomed the U.S. statement terming Abe's Yasukuni visit "disappointing."

Tadae Takubo is Vice President, Japan Institute for National Fundamentals.