The Professor gives his take on a few international stories he thinks are of much greater significance this week than the droll domestic drivel that is forced upon the American public on a daily basis.
The Plaid Avenger gives a quick assessment of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, but also talks about the wider implications to the rest of the planet concerning this already historic event. Due to the unfolding nuclear crisis being caused by 3 damaged nuclear reactors which may turn into an even bigger disaster than the quake, the world is likely to slow or perhaps even abandon the emerging nuclear power industries, which in turn will make for skyrocketing prices of fossil fuels (Note: the price of oil is currently dropping, as Japan’s demand for oil has evaporated in the short term but don’t look for that to last much longer.) In addition, this epic event in Japanese history is likely to be looked back upon as the time that Japan slipped from its economic/political leadership role as an Asian titan, to a more subsidiary player behind China and other rising Asian powers.
Summary: Holy hibachi! Japan is in a Pacific pinch, my friends! A collision between a Chinese fishing boat and Japanese coast guard vessels in September near the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands north of Taiwan set off a firestorm of diplomatic fury by both countires…only to be followed in November by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev pissing off Japan by visiting the disputed island of Kunashira in the Kuril island chain north of Hokkiado. Damn! Battered from both ends! But these territorial squabbles centering around Japan have repercussions far beyond the borders of these dink-ass islands. In this plaid-cast, the Avenger high-lites some of the deeper ramifications of these Pacific geo-political problems.
Summary: Holy hibachi! Japan is in a Pacific pinch, my friends! A collision between a Chinese fishing boat and Japanese coast guard vessels in September near the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands north of Taiwan set off a firestorm of diplomatic fury by both countires…only to be followed in November by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev pissing off Japan by visiting the disputed island of Kunashira in the Kuril island chain north of Hokkiado. Damn! Battered from both ends! But these territorial squabbles centering around Japan have repercussions far beyond the borders of these dink-ass islands. In this plaid-cast, the Avenger high-lites some of the deeper ramifications of these Pacific geo-political problems.
The big annual Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit was held in Hanoi Vietnam on Oct 29/30, and an array of international stars were in attendance!!! Everybody wants to do business with ASEAN! From China to Japan to India to Australia to Russia, all major East Asian and Pacific regional powers want a piece of the action. On top of that, the East Asia Summit (EAS) now takes place directly after the ASEAN party, and it focuses on regional stability/defense issues…a group that includes the Russians and Americans too! Damn! ASEAN is the Asian shizzle!
Bottom line: As Asia’s star continues to rise and they become the center of international action, ASEAN is becoming the anchor for trade and regional stability…a combo EU and UN, but for East Asia!
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