U.S. Militarism in Asia: THINK DIFFERENT!

Prodded to action by several events I have attended recently, and by the current Obama visit to Asian countries -- "Encircle China 2014!" -- I have begun to conceive a "Project on U.S. Militarism in Asia" -- to raise awareness and provide education here in the Chicago area and elsewhere.

The U.S. Face in the Pacific

The problem: the U.S. "pivot to Asia."

The opportunity: asking ourselves, "What would we do differently if we revised our myths of Asia?"

IN JAPAN . . . would we seek to join Japan in resisting militarism, rather than try to goad Japan into militarism resembling our own?

IN KOREA . . . would we stop scapegoating North Korea and declare the Korean peninsula a nuclear free zone?

IN SOUTHEAST ASIA . . . would we back away from the notion that the South China Sea -- so critical to world trade -- should be the next private American lake?

IN THE PHILIPPINES . . . would we stop promoting "all military, all the time," and instead encourage non-violent resolution of civil conflict?

And what about in CHINA . . . ?

 *   *   *   *   *

This post originally coincided with GDAMS - the Global Day of Action on Military Spending.  It's the day for each of us to advocate to #MovetheMoney and to say what we would do if we had $1.75 trillion dollars. So here goes:

If I had $1.75 trillion dollars, I'd invest in a "Zero Carbon U.S.A." 

-- starting with a Zero Carbon Chicago.

Wow! Look at what we could do if we think different!

*   *   *   *   *

More to follow on the "Project on U.S. Militarism in Asia" . . .

Related posts

What people in Asia (and others) have seen for the past century is that something is happening in the Pacific, and it's being driven in part by advances in naval (and, subsequently, aviation and electronics) technology, and in part by powerful nations (principally, but not limited to, the U.S.) proximate to the area.

(See The Imperialized Pacific: What We Need to Understand)

We have had a window of opportunity -- nearly 70 years in which the constitution of Japan has explicitly renounced war, pointing the way for the rest of us. What have we imagined we were supposed to do?

(See Renouncing War: An Opportunity Not To Be Missed )





People are talking about cuts to the military. It couldn't happen to a more deserving half of our national budget.
HOWEVER . . . we need a lot more people jumping into this debate, because the cuts being talked about are too timid . . . AND because the most dangerous and illegitimate (and frequently illegal) forms of military force are being advocated for the "efficiency" and "cost-effectivneness."

(See Talk of the Town: Shrink the Military )

What would happen if every member of Congress "adopted" a foreign military base and demonstrated what would happen if all the money spent there were brought home to local districts? Do you think the constituents would welcome THAT initiative?

(See How About a REAL (Tea) Party? SHUT DOWN THE MILITARY BASES! )












China has been modernizing its navy, and giving a ship would be the perfect way to let China know that we welcome their desire to be in this -- as in everything else -- just like us. (Besides, we have so many of them just lying around . . . !)

(See Obama's Tribute Mission to China )