How can I come to these comments and not see a single thing written about China?
Secretary of Defense Carter stated that he would rather have the TPP succeed than have another aircraft carrier.
The TPP, from a national defense perspective, is one of the aces in the US sleeve. It is a way to isolate China, who would like to be a superpower, who has overtaken the US in terms of economic might, and who is challenging the US for geopolitical power, from the rest of the Asia-Pacific economy - unless it plays by a specific set of rules.
Extremely strong exportation of US intellectual property law into the Asia-Pacific? Yeah, that has nothing to do with the battle for the new world and the past 16 years of US foreign policy to 'Pivot to Asia'.
I'm not saying the TPP will be good for US citizens. I am saying that it will be one piece in something 'good' for the United States as a world power. It's true and unfortunate that what can be bad for one can be good for another. But let's call a spade a spade.
First, China is not the boogeyman. I've lived there for ages, the modern state is very decent by a lot of measures and you really do feel safer on the streets than in much of the western world. Yes, it has its problems, but at least it doesn't run around randomly invading countries, dreaming out loud about "instant global strike capability".
China doesn't and will never play by US rules. For example, they joined the WTO and just ignored a lot of the provisions. This is a good thing for the world, because it keeps things multi-polar. The last thing we need is one world government with a corporate-dominated aggressor-state flush with dynastic influence determining world political and economic fate in an era where we are facing survival-level serious global issues.
Einstein rightly said Nationalism is an infantile disease: the measles of mankind ... however, I'm sure he wouldn't have lobbied for the alternative of a shady back-channel network of non-transparent private supra-national political/economic paralegal rent-seeking and enforcement. That's essentially what we're heading toward, as Assange echoes: The world is not sliding, but galloping into a new transnational dystopia.http://cryptome.org/2012/12/assange-crypto-arms.htm
You should consider broadening your conception of international happenings from American politics. US 'pivoted' as far as Taiwan, Korea and Japan with a fat military 60 years ago, now the dominant thinking in the region (with early indications led by New Zealand and elements of Australian politics) is that they can go and pivot back on home.
First, thank you for taking the time to write a thoughtful reply.
China is definitely not a boogeyman. I hope my comment did not imply it is/was. :)
It's better to understand the comment by the idea that the US does not want a multi-polar world and will act in accordance. The Wolfowitz Doctrine (and friends) quite clearly state that the US Grand Defense Strategy is to prevent other superpowers from forming. The US will be chasing its interests rather than its ideals in this case.
If you look through my other comments you will see that my conception of international happenings is broader than American politics.
But here, for the discussion of American politics and legislation - whether Fast Track will be passed etc - it is enough to understand why the US, rightly or wrongly, wants the TPP.
While many, including myself, are likely to agree that a US hegemony is a questionable way to run the world, this doesn't allow us insight into what the TPP is about for the United States. The TPP is about preventing the 'second pole'.
The US and Japan just formed a collective defense pact which required them to reinterpret their Constitution. The number of military vessels, wargaming, intelligence, etc being pointed at China has nothing to do with it's being a boogeyman. As Einstein right said Nationalism is an infantile disease: the meales of mankind.... this measels shows itself again with another fight for power and influence.
The first interesting comment in "favor" (as in, a possible defense, not necessarily parent's opinions) of the TPP that make me step back and consider another angle.
Of course, I still land in favor of a quick death to the TPP... China's global economic dominance is likely a foregone conclusion. More a question of "when" than "if..." I wouldn't mind getting on with the business of how the U.S. operates in an admirable 2nd place rather than living through even more international meddling that seems to universally bite us in the ass, eventually.
This is what Washington Thinktanks and Defense Officials are saying about the TPP. I'm not really advocating the TPP as much as I am trying to bring awareness about what the TPP is for.
Secretary of Defense Carter stated that he would rather have the TPP succeed than have another aircraft carrier.
The TPP, from a national defense perspective, is one of the aces in the US sleeve. It is a way to isolate China, who would like to be a superpower, who has overtaken the US in terms of economic might, and who is challenging the US for geopolitical power, from the rest of the Asia-Pacific economy - unless it plays by a specific set of rules.
Extremely strong exportation of US intellectual property law into the Asia-Pacific? Yeah, that has nothing to do with the battle for the new world and the past 16 years of US foreign policy to 'Pivot to Asia'.
I'm not saying the TPP will be good for US citizens. I am saying that it will be one piece in something 'good' for the United States as a world power. It's true and unfortunate that what can be bad for one can be good for another. But let's call a spade a spade.