"For those countries who want to ignore evil and live in la-la land, I will say this - time to put on your big boy pants and smell the coffee. This s*it is about to get real."
When Defense Secretary Mattis was asked about the need for NATO, his response was simple. He said something like if we did not have one already, we would need to create one. In the 1950's, we decided to create a similar yet smaller alliance like NATO. In Manila in 1954, a new organization was formed called SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization). It was made up of the United States, France, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand. Don't ask me why France and the UK were in it. In any event, it dissolved in June of 1977.
The old SEATO was really a nothing burger. No standing troops, a shaky organization and
lots of infighting. That being said, there is a critical need for a new SEATO - one with teeth in it. Whereas the past SEATO was formed to curb the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia (didn't work well), the new SEATO's purpose should be to counter the spread of a Chinese blue water navy and the growing nuclear threat of North Korea.
Who should the members be of this new SEATO? As a starter, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. And this time, every member needs to pony up troops and money. Unlike the former SEATO which tried to look a bit like its distant cousin NATO, the new SEATO needs to be an identical twin of NATO.
Now before some write me off as a war monger or lunatic, let me just say this about North Korea. It is now estimated that the Norks have 20 atomic bombs in their inventory with enough plutonium to make dozens more. The latest underground test was estimated to be twice the power as the Hiroshima bomb. And even though they are struggling with their ICBM program, their intermediate missiles appear to be close to ready. Japan and South Korea are the countries which are in the nuclear bulls eye at this point in time.
What to do once the new SEATO is formed? Blockade. Sanctions. Embargoes. Everything short of war. Our history books are full of wars started by warring countries which were not taken seriously by the rest of the world. My biggest fear is we will continue to let this beast grow until the world can not longer contain it. Then get ready for nuclear blackmail on a global scale.
It would help to have China assist, but I doubt that is going to happen. It will be up to the new SEATO to take care of business. For those countries who want to ignore evil and live in la-la land, I will say this - time to put on your big boy pants and smell the coffee. This s*it is about to get real.
Ostensibly, I was in RVN as a result of our SEATO obligations.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy reading your daily offering.
Don't agree with your politics, but you present interesting perspectives of the circus created by the new ringmaster. Thanks for your commitment to your daily ritual.
Must be cathartic.