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Regional Asia: Understanding the leader’s philosophy and past actions is essential before speculating on Beijing’s policy intentions. Xi has publicly voiced his belief that he can lead China to greatness and not hesitate to use all Chinese national power elements to achieve his goals. President Xi has popularized his version of the China Dream: “Reorganizing and rebuilding China’s military so that it can fight and win globally.” The economy pays for the expanding military strength that provides the most tangible national security net gains. China’s foreign policy objectives for the Asiatic region are twofold and directly contravened to US interests. (1) China aspires to replace the U.S. as the dominant power broker in Eastern Asia. (2) China seeks to “re-acquire” territories that Beijing deems within its sovereignty based on an ancient historical script, including Taiwan and numerous islands in the SCS, regardless of the UNCLOS ruling in the dissent.
To establish its strategic objective, China has established symbiotic alliances and built bases along the littoral lanes from the Chinese coast to the Middle East, a symbolic “String of Pearls” to support maritime power projection. China has implemented a “String of Pearls” strategy not only to protect Chinese oil imports but to satisfy broader security objectives, which allows Beijing to challenge U.S. naval hegemony in the SCS and the IOR, deny the U.S. FON rights to the region, to nullify U.S. military, economic, and political influence, and also the intimidation of neighbors into political submission. Neighbors fear that Beijing is trying to establish the entire region as a “Chinese strategic chokepoint” subject to its version of “indisputable sovereignty.”
The issue of Chinese hegemony in the SCS has less to do with economics, natural reserves, or fishing rights but, more importantly, the militarization of this region. The SCS has become a critical defensive zone for China, as evidenced by its multi-tiered defensive posture and base construction on reclaimed islands. China’s foreign policy is well balanced with its military and economic statecraft. Each Chinese “Pearl” is the source of geopolitical power or military presence inside the string. A modernized airbase on Woody Island, some 300 nautical miles east of Vietnam in Parcel Archipelago, is a “Pearl” that projects power and access to seabed resources. Bangladesh is a shipping container and fuel storage facility in Chittagong, which is strategically well-positioned. Myanmar is a “pearl” for building a deep port in Sittwe, as it is in Gwadar, Pakistan, where they are building a marine base. Building sea-port and airfield infrastructures, establishing diplomatic relations, creating economic dependency, and modernizing facility compatibility focused on China’s structure have successfully built a strategic network for China in the region.
Some Washington policy pundits, short-term thinking, downplay these investments as not having a substantial return for the investment outlay. Again with the shortsightedness, you can bet your dollars on the premise that China’s action has been thoroughly vetted for compatibility with its long-term strategic objectives. China’s policies are not designed or implemented on a whim, as history validates their prowess in executing a balanced strategic plan to accomplish their vision for the future of Asia and the world. It has been in play for the better part of 30 years.
Watching the nightly news reports on rioting, criminal escalation, weaponizing of our most trusted institutions for political gain, government corruption, and disregard for law and order is quite disheartening. We are also witnessing prolific attempts to change the social construct of America and the increases in immorality. I am truly saddened about the state of our nation, the ignorance that pervades our electorate, the increase in lawlessness, the decline of social norms and order, and the questionable future of our children, grandchildren, and generations down the line. This is a nation our family has served and defended for two generations since settling here, and it hurts to see our country in decline. I can only imagine the pain or frustration experienced by those with several generations vested in this nation or the immigrants who escaped religious, political, or criminal persecution to find safety in our nation, only to be faced with it all over again.
State Of Our Union: Our society is being eroded, undermined, and manipulated with deliberate acts and consorted narratives being pushed by liberal elitists and social activists of reparation for slavery, white privilege, demonization of whites as oppressors, American institutional racism, inequality, toxic masculinity, undermining policing by pushing narratives of all African Americans being victimized, the destruction of historical objects under the guise of eliminating any reminders of slavery, massive misinformation attack campaigns, censorship of free speech, masking personal-sexual-preferences as creation mistakes of misassigned genders and blatantly forcing it into the fabric of our society, and vandalism masked as social justice and peaceful protest.
The question for any intelligent and patriotic American is one of purpose, “for what purpose does the fringe liberal establishment push this agenda? Furthermore, what is the end game or desired outcome?” I can think of no other reason than to systematically orchestrate the destruction of America from within, a most effective tactic for destabilizing a nation. I will propose the argument that dividing society politically, racially, and morally from within creates hatred, separation of races, and chaos in the streets, as evidenced in the past two years. The weaponization of our political, media, and justice systems reduce effective governance and destabilizes our democratic process, resulting in increased government corruption and overreach and the failure of the justice system to prosecute and hold criminals accountable. If you observe the current situation unfolding in present-day America, do you see a similar pattern emerging, and what can you infer about the state of our constitutional republic?
The resultant factors thus far on significant portions of our society are undeniable and unashamedly portrayed on our nightly news. Many large institutions in the service, retail, and food industry have ceased operations in specific geographic areas due to loss of revenue from criminality, looting, and safety concerns for their workers. A few notable changes currently being experienced in society are the (a) erosion of a rules based social order, (b) changing societal norms and redifining Americas social construct, (c) weakening the “intestinal fortitude” of generations through an ideology termed as “woke”, (d) creating a dependency driven society, (e) erosion of good work ethics, (f) intrusion of sexual vulgarity and alternative sexual preferences into our school, work, and social spaces, (g) immoral indoctrination of our children’s education programs under the guise of gender equality and inclusivity, (h) rejection of religion, (i) embracing criminality as a standard form of expression .i.e., looting, rioting, trespassing, assault, vandalism, shootings (j) neutering and rendering law enforcement impotent to protect and serve, (k) promoting a culture of crime by eliminating policing initiatives to stop crime through defunding actions, (l) deliberate inaction of the judiciary system to prosecute, and incarcerate, further promoting a climate of “crime and anarchy”, and (m) a marked increase in disregard for the “sanctity of life” in society with mass shootings and predatory crimes resulting in loss of life.
This systemic destruction of our society and erosion of rules-based order will affect every citizen in due time, regardless of geographic area or political persuasion. Burying our heads in the proverbial sand will not stem this immorality sweeping our nation. America’s democracy, rules-based system, freedoms, and overall prosperity as a free nation of unbridled opportunity are threatened by internal and external forces that seem determined to end U.S. hegemony and position as a global leader and a prosperous rules-based society. This realization must spark an interest in the reader to determine why these seemingly coordinated actions are occurring. We must collectively as a nation get informed and re-engaged in the democratic process, if for no other reasons than for our children, family, and our collective future welfare as a free and morally intact nation of one people under God.
The author is of East Indian Descent, born in England to Jamaican and Guyanese Indian parents. His father served in the RAF during WW2, and his mother trained as a nurse and teacher.
