11/30/2013

The relevance of ADIZ



The need for ADIZ is not new and will grow in significance in a world when military might is the order of the day. The Americans and its allies have designated their ADIZs in many parts of their countries and dated to the early post WW2 years. The need for China to have its own ADIZ is not unfounded in view of its aggressive neighbours that it has disputes over sovereignty of islands and the military presence of the Americans in the region.


The offensive nature of military weapons like aircraft and their ability to launch an attack several hundred kilometers from the coastline makes an extended ADIZ into the sea more critical and necessary. No countries, not China or the USA or Japan would allow a potential enemy the free play to fly offensive military aircraft at a range that they can launch an attack on the country. How far is the comfort zone depends on many factors, the capability of the enemy’s equipment and weapon system, the scale of destruction it can cause, the speed they can launch an attack and also the systems and capability of the defending nation, among others. 

There is also the ‘fake’ psychological sense of vulnerability which is often used to bully weaker nations to accept an unreasonable claim of safety needs. This could be explained by what is safe to me is unsafe to the enemy or what is reasonable to me is unreasonable to the enemy.


In the China ADIZ, it is very reasonable to them but unreasonable to the Japanese and the Americans. Then why is the Japanese ADIZ reasonable to the Japanese and Americans and not to the Chinese when both extended to 130km of the other’s territory?


In the Cuba Crisis, the sense of security was extended to the placement of SAMs with nuclear capability in the island by the USSR. The Americans were willing to go to war if the Soviets did not remove the missiles. They imposed their right to their national security on the Cubans that they are not allowed to have missiles in their soil that can reach the USA and not vice versa.


This same outrageous claim of national security is extended by the Americans today to the whole world if they can blackmail or twist the arms of weaker nations to forbid them to have nuclear weapons. Only their allies, approved by the Americans, can possess nuclear weapons. My security is your insecurity. Other nations cannot possess the offensive weapons even when they are located across the other side of the earth from America. This is the extent of the American nuclear ADIZ equivalent. They forbid and attacked Iran and North Korea for wanting to have their own nuclear weapons. Is this reasonable?


Why would countries like China not be allowed to set up their own ADIZ but to allow its enemies to fly their offensive aircraft near their coasts that could easily turn around and do a pre emptive strike against them? And these ADIZ is just a short extension from their coasts? Why are the Americans allowed to claim insecurity when countries around the world want to possess nuclear weapons and be accused of being a threat to the Americans?


It is simply power play. The country that has the military power can bully those with less military power to do their bidding, to toe the line, to forgo their national security and allow the bully nation to trample all over them anywhere and anytime without protest.


When the Americans were able to fly their spy planes at a height that the USSR and China could not take them down, the Americans rudely and offensively flew over their territories to take photographs of their military installations and gathered whatever intelligence data they wished to have. Only when the USSR and China could shoot them down that the bullying stopped.


The Americans are using technology to spy on the rest of the world, including their friends, on the belief that they have superior technology and could not be found out. Not until a whistleblower blew their pants away.


It is all a game of bullying with the muscles of military power. China could only uphold its ADIZ if it is willing to confront the bullies head on and has the ability to do so. This is the only right, or wrong. Political power comes from the barrel of the gun. It is still true. The Americans and their allies have put up a military challenge and China either has to stand up or back down.


Any country that wants to have their own ADIZ must have the military muscle to keep the bullies and rascals out. It is not a matter of right or wrong. It is national security and dignity that must be defended by military prowess. Take them on and force them out or let them in. This is the same logic as acquiring nuclear weapons. Without the military strength to fight and resist the Americans, there will be no nuclear weapons without their approval.


The Americans have established a balance of power and status to their favours and to the insecurity and right to defence of other countries. They would walk along the corridors of other countries strutting their stuff, armed with the most formidable weapons they have to spite these countries. Any attempt by these countries to say no, to change the status quo is ‘wrong’ to the Americans and their allies. They only see the world in their tinted glasses, and their superiority and dominance and obnoxious rights cannot be challenged.


Who is talking about rights, and whose rights and interests should stay above others? An ADIZ is a defensive construct. Does China or any country have the right to its self defence, to protect itself from enemy intrusion and attacks? Why are the western countries and Japan allowed to have their ADIZ and not China? Why are the Americans and their allies allowed to possess WMD and others are not?

19 comments:

  1. /// BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China scrambled jets on Friday in response to two U.S. spy planes and 10 Japanese aircraft, including F-15 fighters, entering its new air defense zone over the East China Sea, state news agency Xinhua said, raising the stakes in a standoff with the United States, Japan and South Korea. ///

    This is getting more interesting and exciting by the day.

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  2. "It is national security and dignity that must be defended by military prowess."
    RB

    So now you know why PAP Govt spend so much for military prowess, and why male able bodied Sinkies need to sacrifice to do NS.

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  3. ...PAP Govt spend so much for military prowess...
    Anon 9:42 am

    But the prowess is still untested leh. Hope it will never need to be tested also lah.

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  4. It will be tested soon, in 2016. Not military prowess but the vote prowess of majority Sinkies lah.

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  5. if you let china have its way, one day it might claim sovereignity over SEA. can say zheng ho visited the seas and all subjects paid their tribute to the emperor.

    this does not bode well for the region

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  8. Hi Abao, the big powers will claim everything that is not claimed by anyone. If China does not do it, someone else will. The British claimed half of the world. The Europeans claimed another quarter. The Europeans are still sitting on their claims in USA, Canada, Australia, NZ and many parts of the world.

    This is the reality of geopolitics. If China does not claim those islands, the USA may do so, or the Asean countries would be fighting to claim them.

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  9. US says airlines should observe China zone. Effectively, USA has endorsed China.

    Currently USA and Japan military plane dont observe China ADIZ. That is a norm of conduct of military plane.

    Meanwhile, USA shout on roof top that they send B52 into ADIZ. There are idiots who claim that China is humiliated. Far from that.

    B52 went into ADIZ is posturing, and pay lip service support of Japan. USA is Japan's big brother, and he cannot just sit by and watch his lackey got humiliated and do nothing. China knew that also, and does not make a big fuss.

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  10. It's all posturing lah.

    Wait until China really shoot down a plane, then only I believe otherwise.

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  11. Wait until China really shoot down a plane, then only I believe otherwise.

    Plane do not get shot inside ADIZ. It may get shot within sovereign territory. ADIZ has a bigger radius than territory.

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  12. I don't think anyone would dispute the necessity of sovereign states to impose ADIZs over their territory.

    If China flew their Xian H6 near to US mainland, they would be challenged and shot down if necessary once within US airspace.

    What is wrong here is China's unilateral claim on Senkaku. As I've said previously, China has NO RIGHT to claim the islands, however she does have the POWER to do so, to "make a statement". China is very wrong to do this -- there are other claimants too (lest we forget: Taiwan), in a very messy territorial dispute, a dispute which encompasses historical events, fishing rights, etc.

    Add to that, you have a drone-crazy child-killing US President who has an "Asian agenda", and a pro-corporate militant running Japan, on very friendly terms with the top guy in Washington. There's a pool of POWER here too.

    Whilst I don't agree, with China's imposition of an ADIZ, I can certainly understand WHY they did it. To quote the much lambasted Julie Bishop/ Tony Abbot: "It is not helpful".

    The Senkaku/ Daiyou issue is extremely complex. China in behaving like a spoilt, belligerent child made a "bad choice". However, we all make mistakes.

    This dispute can be settled within a short time if parties are willing to sit down and discuss "cooperation". Until such time, there'll be sporadic incidents like this, or missile "testing" or "joint naval and air military exercises" -- all acts of POWER ASSERTION from all actors.

    Before escalation of events, most people didn't know or didn't care about these islands. Claimants can beat the chest and the drum of "nationalism", but why all the fuss over a few pieces of rock? It is PURE GREED for the oil and gas reserves these islands have -- all the claimants WANT IT ALL for themselves -- no fucking sharing.

    With that kind of attitude, the only solution is total conquest and acquisition.

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  13. Matilah,

    Don't be so naive lah. If it can be resolved it would have been resolved long ago. This island was seized by Japan by force and they would only return it by force. With the US on its side, it will be a bigger force for China to deal with for the time being.

    It will be returned to China one day, by force.

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  14. redbean, the difference between you and I is that when it comes to conflict resolution, assholes like yourself will cling onto negative aspects of the past to bolster your POWER position in the present -- as if your position comes from a high-and-mighty place of MORAL SUPERIORITY.

    This is the thinking of an immature child's brain trapped in an old man's body. It looks ridiculous, sounds ridiculous, and is a guranteed lose-lose proposition if one is trying to negotiate.

    >> If it can be resolved it would have been resolved long ago.
    That sentence doesn't even make any sense. At least to an ADULT.

    ADULTS are able to appreciate the COMPLEXITY of issues, and are able to investigate a RANGE OF SOLUTIONS to solve their issues and complex. Mature-thinking ADULTS understand the necessity for patience in any process, as it does take time and collective effort for all parties to arrive at a position where they can all agree, then move forward until they've come to a resolution over their issues.

    A fucking spoilt kid, who is unable to command basic respect because he is a belligerent BRAT -- which is ==> YOU < == in this case -- seeks only one solution: FORCE.

    Grow the fuck up, man. That is the only way for over-grown kids like yourself are welcome to play with the adults in the REAL world.

    Otherwise just stay in your little corner of the sandbox and play "make belief" with your toys and genitals, pick your nose and your scabs, the way all friendless kids do -- alone.

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  15. Matilah is right again.
    Size your opponent, can makan(overwhelm) go ahead.

    Will get smash or kill, hold back, run away or kowtow. 君子报报仇十年不晚. Come back for revenge when ready, but ensure a peaceful victory.
    When the opponent refuses to submit, provoke and let it retaliate. Then negotiate and bargain. Return fire when fired upon. Fight like a gentleman.
    Right Matilah Singapura?

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  16. redbean,

    Oh my my. Still behaving like a spoilt, belligerent child are we?

    Really, you come across as ridiculous. All the evidence which indicates that you're akin to a child when it come to things you don't agree with or somehow doesn't quite fit your "perfect" world view, is right here on your blog. People can make up their own minds.

    You can't even formulate a decent rejoinder to my previous comment. Your bet shot is "tourette's syndrome" -- which I don't have, and even if I did, it would be something I could not control. But of course you wouldn't know that given your LAUGHABLE LACK OF UNDERSTANDING of basic science -- which is another tid-bit of evidence of your childishness.

    As for me "looking like an asshole" -- please. Mature adults do not mind criticism or even ad hominem attacks. Having a "thick skin" is part of being grown-up. Cry-baby children OTOH get all "offended" and "hurt" when they are called nasty names.

    Grow the fuck up. I see potential in you ;-) But I could be wrong...

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  17. @919:

    The strategy will vary according to what you hope to achieve.

    If you want to smash your enemy and "teach him a lesson" -- an emotional response to a problem -- then go ahead, ANYTHING goes -- the dirtier, the better.

    If you hope to have a long-term win-win, then you will have to start with a cool head, a willingness to accommodate the other party's concerns, and a commitment to working together persistently, until a viable "end result" is achieved.

    Emotions are fast. Intellect is slow. Thus violence is swift and hard, rational conflict resolution is long and drawn out, meandering here and there, back and forth, occasional mind-games of hostility...etc.

    Human interaction can be viewed as "games". You just have to pick the one you want to play, and play your best.

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  18. You think you are a preacher?

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  19. @1019:

    Like you, I can think whatever the fuck I like, and don't like ;-)

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