* Yama Sakura 87: Joint military exercise between the U.S., Australia, and Japan. My grandson Michael is in the Army, in Public Relations, currently in Japan to chronicle the operation.
We’re said to be in an age of skepticism about international engagement for purposes of trade and national security. However, polling of the general public does not support a broad popular distrust of our partners, but vociferous pronouncements by the winners of the ‘24 presidential sweepstakes would lead a person to conclude that America Alone is in the offing. “Tariffs” rolls off their tongues as much as “thank you”. Criticism of alliances (“NATO” coupled with “fair share”; “our allies are robbing us”) and praise of thugs (“Xi is smart”; Putin is a “genius” and “savvy”) round out a troubling and dismissive stance toward those with whom we have common ground.
How much of this will disrupt the strategic linkages with our Pacific neighbors who are equally threatened by a rising CCP? Tariffs will not rescue the Rust Belt and its unionized workforce when the decline has more to do with our uncompetitive taxes and zealous over-regulation. Tariffs will do nothing but attempt to throw American enterprises back into the arms of the EPA and the UAW, and send our partners scrambling to retaliate.
Whew, what foolishness. Do we anymore have the capacity to produce statesmen? Is the current crop of politicos capable of it? Yet, necessity can moderate political boilerplate. A rising CCP and its desire to dominate Asia’s First Island Chain (the Philippines through Taiwan to Japan) is a dagger at the heart of more than the U.S. That’s the reason for Yama Sakura 87.
* All photos taken by Spc Michael Graf, 24th Theater Public Support Element, in his official capacity and available to the general public.
RogerG