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Hot Dog! State on State Conflict is Back!
By John
Peter Brooks on the Shangai Cooperation Organization (SCO):
Some see it as a NATO counterweight. Others call it a Club for Dictators -- or at least near-dictators. Some consider it an anti-American stalking horse for Chinese and or Russian hegemony, with the potential to become "OPEC with nukes."Whatever: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) -- a so-called "anti-terrorism, anti-separatism, anti-extremism" grouping, including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, which holds its fifth annual meeting this week -- definitely reeks of trouble for Uncle Sam.
Well, I guess calling them calling it "anti-American" would be lacking in the subtly department. Of course by "anti-American" I don't mean some long haired unhappy Seattle teenager who gets his political info from Green Day songs, but rather anti-American interests, specifically in southeast Asia. According to Brooks, it's all about the hegemony (well, regional hegemony):
...consider the wider strategic implications. Beijing and Moscow are using the SCO as a tool to eliminate U.S. influence in the Eurasian heartland -- the home to half the world's population, a key front in the War on Terror and the location of key world energy supplies. The SCO formally agreed at last year's summit to reverse America's post-9/11 military presence in Central Asia. Soon after, Uzbekistan closed Karshi Khanabad airbase to U.S. forces. Now the rulers of Extortistan -- er, Kyrgyzstan -- are trying to raise the price of the U.S. lease on Manas airbase rent from $2 million to $200 million a year.
And it could affect our efforts to de-nuke Iran:
The SCO has offered observer status to India and Pakistan as well as Iran, and discussed full-membership for all. Iran and Pakistan are keen to join -- and may be offered the chance later this year. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may push for membership at this week's session -- it would help scuttle U.S. and European Union pressure over Tehran's nuclear program.
With NATO pushing closer and closer to Russia's borders, and America and her allies circling China, the alliance makes sense. The question is, how large will the SCO grow, and will the new alliance translate into some sort of pseudo east-Asia version of the Warsaw Pact?
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Comments
This is why I've felt that picking fights with Putin, while it might be gratifying for some people, just was not a good idea when we had bigger fish to fry (to wit, the war on terror).
> Now the rulers of Extortistan -- er,
> Kyrgyzstan -- are trying to raise
> the price of the U.S. lease on Manas
> airbase rent from $2 million to $200
> million a year.
John,
When can I get this kind of information? I few times I got into argument with people who say that the US military is occupying many countries, but AFAIK, the US is actually paying for basing rights. However, I don't have any information to backup my argument. I would be happy if you could tell me where is a good (and hopefully authorative) source, but of course, only if it is not secret.
Vilmos
Another great example of a bunch of broken door knobs (Russia, China, et. al.) taking the short-term approach to foreign policy.
After Iran nukes our friends, what's to stop them from nuking Soviet, I mean, Russian and ChiCom friends (or territories)?
Give an inch to the current Iranian government....when will it end?
Superb! (I wrote something else and then I read below that I aint supposed ter. So I deleted it.)
It was a very nice idea! Just wanna say thank you for the information you have shared. Just continue writing this kind of post. I will be your loyal reader. Thanks again.
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the title of this post made me chuckle