Just last week North Korea tested two short-range missiles and bragged of its accomplishments of miniaturizing its nuclear warhead to fit on ballistic missiles. America’s response? The U.S. Air Force deployed three of its B-2 stealth bombers to Asia and Pacific. These bombers are top of the line weapons. They are a low-observable, strategic, long-range, heavy bomber capable of penetrating sophisticated and dense air-defense shields as well as completing missions at altitudes as high as 50,000 feet. They will be kept in Australia and the goal, according to a release from U.S. Strategic Command, is to “integrate and conduct training with ally and partner force, and conduct a radio communications check with a U.S. air operations center.” With North Korea on a mission to one-up the United States and South Korea, the commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces, General Lori J. Robinson, said in the press release “Recent events demonstrate the continued need to provide consistent and credible air power throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region… Strategic bomb deployments ensure our ability to protect power at a time and place of our choice and develop strong interoperability with out regional allies and partners.” Basically what Robinson is saying is that the United States must continue to show its strength to keep the respect of other nations.
Earlier this month there was a similar instance from the U.S. Navy in which they sent the aircraft carrier USS John S. Stennis and its strike group into the South China Sea, where Chinese ships were operating close by. On this, Robinson was quoted saying, “We would encourage anybody in the region and around the world to fly and sail in international air space in accordance with international rules and norms. We would encourage all nations in the region to do just that, just as the United States is doing.”
In my opinion I want the United States to be respected and agree that in many cases intimidation is a powerful tool because it can at times prevent violent action from being taken. However the United States has already well established how capable we are. In the Win/Gallup International’s Annual Global End of the Year Survey the United States came out on top as the greatest threat to world peace among all nations. To me, we are teetering on a line between showing our strength and being reckless.
What do you think? Is this earning respect or just reckless intimidation? Should we be involving ourselves in the first place? How do you think this years candidates would answer if given this question in a debate?
1 comment:
I agree with Mia, I believe the United States has already established itself as being capable. I believe that sending the steal bombers will not help the tensions that already exist. The timing of this is terrible because there is already tensions with South Korea, and there are "tensions with China as Beijing asserts its claims over disputed areas in the South China Sea by building infrastructure, including harbors and airstrips on islands in the sea and upping its military presence." I did not realize that America came out as a threat to world peace in the Win/Gallup International's Annual Global End of the Year Survey, however, I am not surprised. The budget for the military is ridiculously large and unnecessary. We discussed in class various times about how the funding is spent on equipment that is redundant. Sending the stealth bombers does show that America is powerful, but it does spread fear as well.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/10/politics/b-2-bombers-sent-to-asia-pacific/index.html
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