Asia-Pacific Security - Article Example

Critique document Author’s name Professor’s name Course name Date due Critique 1 Hillary Clinton, “Remarks on Regional Architecture in Asia: Principles and Priorities’ US Department of State 12 January 2010. This article is a documented speech of the U.S state secretary, Hillary Clinton at the 50th anniversary of the East-West Center, regarding the relations and future of the U.S in Asia, specifically on Asia’s regional architecture. The U. S secretary pointed out the significance of East-West center in changing the Asian Pacific and contributing to its present state. She gave an account of the region’s state back in 1959 and explained how the center came into existence. Regarding this, Hillary Clinton commented that it Lyndon Johnson’s proposal to create an institution that could accommodate thinkers from the West and East. This facilitated the transformation of the region by shaping ideas and training experts in various fields. She also pointed out that the U.S, including the President, is deeply committed to strengthening ties with the Asian countries, as Honolulu was his hometown. This commitment is visible by the U.S president, Barrack Obama’s willingness to host the APEC leaders gathering, as well as his APEC summit travels to Japan, China, Singapore and South Korea. In addition to this, the U.S highlighted their support for Asian Pacific by being the first country to hold the U.S-ASEAN summit, create the G-20 leaders summit, sign the ASEAN treaty of cooperation and amity and sign the Guam International agreement, which aided in sustaining a prominent U.S military presence in Asia Pacific. Above the alliances that the U.S has created with the Asian Pacific, the U.S secretary had several proposals for the continuity and success of the region, by mentioning critical issues such as technology, security, effective governance and educational institutions. Critique 2 Pant, Harsh V. India in the Asia-Pacific: Rising Ambitions with an eye on China� Asia-Pacific Review Vol 14 No 1 2007 In this article, the author observes India’s foreign policies on the Asian Pacific, especially over the last few years. Several issues, especially the shifting gravity and focus of global politics from Europe to the Asian pacific, triggered the author’s interest in India’s policy. This shift is because of the rising prominence of India and China, the steady declaration of Japan’s military profile and the momentous change in the U.S international force posture to aid the Asia Pacific. The author argues that the present debate centers on the likelihood of the Asia-Pacific witnessing rising conflicts and tensions in the coming years, due to power concentrations in the region or if the global economic forces and multilateralism will influence stability and peace in the region. The author examines several issues pertinent to Asia Pacific. He argues that the rising power balance in Asia Pacific is observable in light of theoretical debates regarding issues followed by a huge assessment of India’s role in envisaging itself in the region. Consequently, the author critically analyses India’s relationship with Japan, China and the U.S (the Asia Pacific’s major powers) and makes several observations regarding the future route of Indian foreign policy in Asia Pacific. Critique 3 International Crisis Group. Shades of Red: China’s Debate over North Korea. Asia Report no 179 2 November 2009. This report focuses on the relationship between China and North Korea. China was prompted to reconsider its policy on North Korea by various North Korea’s provocations. The included North Korea’s leaving the six party talks, a rocket launch and the nuclear test on 25 May. These, together with other occurrences such as the announcement that Kim Jong-il was unwell facilitated a public debate regarding China and North Korea’s ties. The debate was between strategists who were proposing that China should take stringer lines against North Korea and traditionalists, whose proposals were an avocation for the continuation for considerable economic and political cover for North Korea. Eventually, China supported a statement and resolution mandate from the UN Security Council, requiring a significant sanction regime. However, this regime should focus on defense and missile programs, incapable of destabilizing the economy. The report argues that most people from the west view this debate as a symptom of a policy shift but China’s strategic calculations are still unchanged. The author of the report argues that the attempted nuclear tests and satellite launch by North Korea generated significant international and domestic pressure on China, while North Korea’s absence at the six party talks shredded Beijing of its basic strategy for handling the nuclear crisis. The report also argues that Beijing prioritizes stability over denuclearization because of its vastly different view of the nuclear threat to the perceptions of the U.S and its allies. Critique 4 Hoffman, Bruce A. Counterterrorism Strategy for the Obama Administration. Terrorism and Political Violence 21, 2009 359-377. This article scrutinizes the nature and scope of the existing terrorist risks to the United States. Additionally, the article proposes a strategy to counter these threats. The author, Hoffman, acknowledges the threat that Al-Qaeda continues to pose to the U.S, in addition to the attacks of the 2001 September 11. The article announces that the lesson this attack taught the U.S was that the terror group’s (Al-Qaeda) strength originates for the availability of a safe haven for their planning and plotting of attacks. The author identifies the tribal areas of Pakistan’s Federal Administration and the Frontier Province of North West (NWFP) as Al-Qaeda’s sanctuary. In this regard, the author proposes that the Obama administration’s highest priority should be to refocus America’s and America’s allies’ attention on Pakistan and Afghanistan, which were the collapsing sanctuaries for Al-Qaeda since 2001, but are now regrouping. Hoffman argues that to do this successfully, America must understand that it is impossible to defeat the Al-Qaeda and its local allies by only using military forces. Success in the terror battle requires a dual strategy of methodically weakening or destroying Al-Qaeda capabilities. The author argues that the U.S new administration requires an approach that would counter insurgency and counter terrorism. Critique 5 Sven Gunnar Simonsen. The role of East Timor’s security institutions in national integration and disintegration. The Pacific Review Vol 22 No 5 December 2009, 575-596. In this article, Simonsen Sven examines the interaction between national unity and security sector developments in East Timor since the end of the Indonesian occupation in 1999. Particularly, the author focuses on the regional difference between Lorosae and Loromonu. The Loromonu are people from the West while Lorosae are people from East Timor. This gives an account of the relationship between these two people, by providing a brief history. In 2006, the Lorosae experienced a crisis, which led to the disintegration of the police and military agents, as well as the general violence that facilitated massive internal displacement. This crisis facilitated the distinction between the East and West, drawing attention to its significance as a social cleavage. The author argues that the cause of independence and the guerilla force were fundamental focuses of the national unity in East Timorese. However, in the subsequent years, the implementation of the defective security policies brought in fresh police and military forces that were factionalized, politicized and lacking inn cohesion. Preceding the 2006 crisis and as the crisis escalated, the distinction between the two became fundamental, and the east west dimension framed the violence. The author comments that the major security challenges include the destabilizing role of Alfredo Reinado who was a former fugitive and head of military police, the unsettled issue of petitioners and gang activities. Finally, the author agues that new initiatives focused at transforming the military forces at East Timor appeared to be inadequate in tackling the country’s internal security challenges and internal divisions. Critique 6 Clarke, Michael. China’s Internal Security Dilemma and the Great Western Development: The Dynamics of Integration, Ethnic Nationalism and Terrorism in Xinjiang. Asian Studies Review, September 2007 Vol 31 323-342. In this article, Clarke scrutinizes internal security issues facing China. He proposes that the central challenges to security hurdles in China stem from the country’s persisting and the recently reinforced and revitalized projects to incorporate the interior areas as campaigns of the Great Western Development. The author refers to Mao Zedong’s statement in which he said that people perceive China s a country with a vast territory and rich in population and resources but Han has a wider population with minority nationalities and is also vast in resources and territories. The author compares this statement with the realities of the present Chinese state, especially China’s approach to its culturally and geographically dissimilar ethnic minority populations. The author points out that people may view these campaigns as a set of amorphous diverse policy agendas whose aims are not to form coherent and complete programs. Nonetheless, these campaigns have a major guiding principle. The articles stresses that the campaigns are not merely regional, but national too, with probably international consequences. To reduce the difficulties associated with addressing the scope and intensity of the program, the author focuses one region, making it possible to illustrate the security challenges. Critique 7 Saunders, Phillip and Kastner, Scott. Bridge over Troubled Water? Envisioning a China-Taiwan Peace. International Security Vol 33, Number 4. Spring 2009 87-114. Saunders, Phillip and Kastner document the increased interest of both Taiwan and China leaders in reaching peaceful agreements. In their analysis, the authors consider the outlook of an agreement and whether and how such agreements may be effective in lowering the possibilities of military conflicts. They also focus on the significant barriers to an agreement as well as the likelihood of the agreement’s endurance. The author’s interests in the agreement were instigated by the interests between the two states, which escalated at the 2008 Taiwan’s presidential elections. During the elections, both the Taiwanese candidates advocated for the approval of a peace union with China and in response, Chinese leaders equally expressed interests in obtaining agreements with Taiwan. The article highlights several obstacles that the two parties face in attempting to reach a peaceful agreement. They also provide an examination of the potential dimensions and consequences that these parties must be aware of when trying to come together. Critique 8 Pregenzer, Adrian. Securing Nuclear Capabilities in India and Pakistan: Reducing the Terrorist and Proliferation Risks. The Nonproliferation Review Spring 2003. This article is concerned with nuclear security in South Asia-Pacific. This concern was intensified by the attacks of the 2001 September 11. Through this article, the author aimed at suggesting ways that the international community and the U.S can cooperate and work together with Pakistan and India in order to stop illegal acquisition of nuclear materials, weapons and associated technology and expertise by potential proliferating states and terrorists. The authors argue that India and Pakistan should aim at assuring each other as well as other g\nations that their nuclear capabilities are safe and protected from unauthorized access. In order to provide a clear picture of these serious concerns, the paper provides an overview of the situation in India and Pakistan, regarding their nuclear and military infrastructure and capabilities. In addition to this, the authors provide information on how these countries (Pakistan and India) separately perceive terrorism threat, before highlighting the actions that have been taken to counter this problem. The paper categorizes these actions as bilateral, unilateral cooperation and international activities. To obtain effective solutions for the above attempts, the article discusses the constraints and issues that influence cooperation between countries, in their attempt to curb terrorism and stop illegal access to nuclear materials and weapons. The author identifies some of these issues to include transparency, legal and policy issues and foreign policy disagreements. Critique 9 Young, Adam and Valencia, Mark. Conflation of Piracy and Terrorism in Southeast Asia: Rectitude and Utility. Contemporary Southeast Asia Vol 25 No 2, August 2003 269-28. This article examines the commonality of terrorism and piracy in Southeast Asia. It aims at identifying the factors and causes of piracy and terrorism by scrutinizing the similarities between these activities and the tactics used by perpetrators. Despite this, article identifies the differences between the objectives of terrorists and pirates, and argues that solutions to these problems should fit particular problems. To separate the two concepts, the article discusses piracy and provides examples of it, before tackling terrorism. The article identifies the most ordinary types of piracy as hit and run thefts hijacking and temporary seizures of ships. The article also provides challenges that countries face while analyzing appropriate piracy responses as well as the consequences and crises caused by piracy. Consequently, the article discusses terrorism by providing a definition and examples of major terrorism attacks. The author defines and distinguishes the two concepts: despite the two being crimes, piracy is predicated on instant financial gains because it is motivated by greed while terrorism is politically motivated by aims beyond financial gains. The authors explain several concepts and overlaps between piracy and terrorism, amongst them including the initiatives by the U.S, self-help and Southeast Asia, indigenous efforts and the effectiveness of countermeasures. Critique 10 Chien-peng Chung. The role of Asia-Pacific organizations in maintaining regional security. Korean Journal of Defense Analysis 20:2, 2008 169-185. This article evaluates the role significance of several organizations within the Asia Pacific region, in promoting and sustaining security in the region. In order to highlight the roles of these organizations, the author provides brief histories of the region, as well as the formation of these organizations. They identify the most regular security organizations in the region to be: (ARF) ASEAN regional forum and the (SCO) Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The Asia-Pacific regional states rely on ASEAN Regional Forum to maintain their security while Eurasian states depend on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The author acknowledges that as from 2001, the meetings between APEC leaders have aimed at addressing economic security aspects. Consequently, the article realizes that there are fundamental differences between the two organizations. The author argues that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is well institutionalized and purposeful, which is in contrasts to the ARF that appears to be ineffective and weakly structured. The paper assumes that the SCO is well maintained because its member states are trustful of each other, and maintain mutual security objectives, norms and concerns. This is unlike the ARF member states, which are uneasy with each other and share dissimilar norms, objectives and practices regarding security. In addition to this, the SCO embodies priority multilateral security and foreign policy interests for the nationalities of Russia and China while the ARF embodies a bilateral initial security and foreign policies on relations of its significant players including the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the United States. Critique 11 Higgot, Richard and Nossal, Kim. Odd man in, odd man out: Australia’s liminal position in Asia revisited a reply to Ann Capling. The Pacific Review, Vol 21 December 2008. 623-634. Higgot, Richard and Nossal, Kim �Odd man in, odd man out: Australia�s liminal position in Asia revisited � a reply to Ann Capling� The Pacific Review, Vol 21 December 2008. 623-634 In this article, Higgot and Nossal revisit Ann Capling’s explanation of Australian foreign policy. In their perspective, they find fundamental influence of Ann’s interpretations of Australia’s policies on Asia’s operations and relations with Australia. To make readers understand their arguments, the authors provided background information on Capling’s interpretations. They argue that Ann Capling’s interpretation covers Australian engagement with Asia, which began under the governments of the ALP) Australian Labor Party. These were the governments of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating in the late 1980s and mid 1990’s respectively. This engagement between Australia and Asia continued through the coalition government, with John Howard’s government. The article acknowledges that Ann’s examination of the Australian policy, as well as the scholarly and public debates associated with it influenced her conclusions. Her conclusions were that should Kevin Rudd return to power under the ALP, Australian entanglement with Asia would have developed much more than anyone would have anticipated. Higgot and Nossal point out that Ann’s particular conclusions were that their own (Higgot and Nossal’s) contribution to her debate was prematurely pessimistic regarding the viewpoints for Australia’s involvement with Asia. References Critique 1 Hillary Clinton, “Remarks on Regional Architecture in Asia: Principles and Priorities’ US Department of State 12 January 2010. Critique 2 Pant, Harsh V. India in the Asia-Pacific: Rising Ambitions with an eye on China’s. Asia-Pacific Review Vol 14 No 1 2007 Critique 3 International Crisis Group. Shades of Red: China’s Debate over North Korea. Asia Report no 179 2 November 2009. Critique 4 Hoffman, Bruce A. Counterterrorism Strategy for the Obama Administration. Terrorism and Political Violence, 21, 2009 359-377. Critique 5 Sven Gunnar Simonsen. The role of East Timor’s security institutions in national integration and disintegration. The Pacific Review Vol 22 No 5 December 2009, 575-596. Critique 6 Clarke, Michael. China’s Internal Security Dilemma and the Great Western Development: The Dynamics of Integration, Ethnic Nationalism and Terrorism in Xinjiang� Asian Studies Review, September 2007 Vol 31 323-342. Critique 7 Saunders, Phillip and Kastner, Scott. Bridge over Troubled Water? Envisioning a China-Taiwan Peace. International Security Vol 33, Number 4. Spring 2009 87-114. Critique 8 Pregenzer, Adrian. Securing Nuclear Capabilities in India and Pakistan: Reducing the Terrorist and Proliferation Risks. The Nonproliferation Review Spring 2003. Critique 9 Young, Adam and Valencia, Mark. Conflation of Piracy and Terrorism in Southeast Asia: Rectitude and Utility. Contemporary Southeast Asia Vol 25 No 2, August 2003 269-28. Critique 10 Chien-peng Chung. The role of Asia-Pacific organizations in maintaining regional security. Korean Journal of Defense Analysis 20:2, 2008 169-185. Critique 11 Higgot, Richard and Nossal, Kim. Odd man in, odd man out: Australia’s liminal position in Asia revisited a reply to Ann Capling. The Pacific Review, Vol 21 December 2008. 623-634. Read More

Critique 3 International Crisis Group. Shades of Red: China’s Debate over North Korea. Asia Report no 179 2 November 2009. This report focuses on the relationship between China and North Korea. China was prompted to reconsider its policy on North Korea by various North Korea’s provocations. The included North Korea’s leaving the six party talks, a rocket launch and the nuclear test on 25 May. These, together with other occurrences such as the announcement that Kim Jong-il was unwell facilitated a public debate regarding China and North Korea’s ties.

The debate was between strategists who were proposing that China should take stringer lines against North Korea and traditionalists, whose proposals were an avocation for the continuation for considerable economic and political cover for North Korea. Eventually, China supported a statement and resolution mandate from the UN Security Council, requiring a significant sanction regime. However, this regime should focus on defense and missile programs, incapable of destabilizing the economy. The report argues that most people from the west view this debate as a symptom of a policy shift but China’s strategic calculations are still unchanged.

The author of the report argues that the attempted nuclear tests and satellite launch by North Korea generated significant international and domestic pressure on China, while North Korea’s absence at the six party talks shredded Beijing of its basic strategy for handling the nuclear crisis. The report also argues that Beijing prioritizes stability over denuclearization because of its vastly different view of the nuclear threat to the perceptions of the U.S and its allies. Critique 4 Hoffman, Bruce A.

Counterterrorism Strategy for the Obama Administration. Terrorism and Political Violence 21, 2009 359-377. This article scrutinizes the nature and scope of the existing terrorist risks to the United States. Additionally, the article proposes a strategy to counter these threats. The author, Hoffman, acknowledges the threat that Al-Qaeda continues to pose to the U.S, in addition to the attacks of the 2001 September 11. The article announces that the lesson this attack taught the U.S was that the terror group’s (Al-Qaeda) strength originates for the availability of a safe haven for their planning and plotting of attacks.

The author identifies the tribal areas of Pakistan’s Federal Administration and the Frontier Province of North West (NWFP) as Al-Qaeda’s sanctuary. In this regard, the author proposes that the Obama administration’s highest priority should be to refocus America’s and America’s allies’ attention on Pakistan and Afghanistan, which were the collapsing sanctuaries for Al-Qaeda since 2001, but are now regrouping. Hoffman argues that to do this successfully, America must understand that it is impossible to defeat the Al-Qaeda and its local allies by only using military forces.

Success in the terror battle requires a dual strategy of methodically weakening or destroying Al-Qaeda capabilities. The author argues that the U.S new administration requires an approach that would counter insurgency and counter terrorism. Critique 5 Sven Gunnar Simonsen. The role of East Timor’s security institutions in national integration and disintegration. The Pacific Review Vol 22 No 5 December 2009, 575-596. In this article, Simonsen Sven examines the interaction between national unity and security sector developments in East Timor since the end of the Indonesian occupation in 1999.

Particularly, the author focuses on the regional difference between Lorosae and Loromonu. The Loromonu are people from the West while Lorosae are people from East Timor. This gives an account of the relationship between these two people, by providing a brief history. In 2006, the Lorosae experienced a crisis, which led to the disintegration of the police and military agents, as well as the general violence that facilitated massive internal displacement. This crisis facilitated the distinction between the East and West, drawing attention to its significance as a social cleavage.

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