The US and Japanese militaries are increasing cooperation to prepare for a possible war with China over Taiwan or other areas in the Asia Pacific, the top US Marine Corps general in Japan told Financial Times.
Lt. Gen. James Bierman, commander of the Third Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) and of Marine Forces Japan, said the US military was preparing for a future conflict in the region the same way it did in Ukraine in 2014 following the US-backed ouster of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
“Why have we achieved the level of success we’ve achieved in Ukraine? A big part of that has been because after Russian aggression in 2014 and 2015, we earnestly got after preparing for future conflict: training for the Ukrainians, prepositioning of supplies, identification of sites from which we could operate support, sustain operations,” Bierman said.
“We call that setting the theater. And we are setting the theater in Japan, in the Philippines, in other locations,” the general added.
Bierman’s comments came after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced a major overhaul of the Japanese armed forces that involves doubling Tokyo’s military budget. A new security strategy issued by Kishida’s government names China “the biggest strategic challenge” and includes language that can justify military action in defense of the US, breaking from Japan’s post-World War II pacifism.
The Marines Corps has been undergoing an overhaul of its own as it is shifting its focus on preparing for war in the western Pacific rather than fighting counterinsurgencies in the Middle East. Bierman’s III MEF is at the center of the revamp, which is focused on creating smaller units that can move quickly around the islands of the western Pacific as the Marines operate within the range of China’s missiles.
Bierman said that cooperation with allies in the region is vital to the new Marine Corps strategy, and the Marines have been operating more closely with Japanese forces during drills. The US and Japan are set to discuss strengthening their alliance even more during a meeting of their defense ministers this week, and Kishida is set to meet with President Biden in Washington this Friday.
The US is also planning to build five new military facilities in the Philippines as part of its buildup around China, where it will be able to preposition more weapons and equipment. Bierman said the buildup in the Asia Pacific will give the US “a leverage point, a base of operations, which allows you to have a tremendous head start in different operational plans.”
Local officials in the Philippines said the US might return to Subic Bay, which was once the site of the largest US naval base in Asia that closed 30 years ago. But Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is also looking to maintain good relations with China and may not sign off on the establishment of a major US military base.
So very, very telling: “Why have we achieved the level of success we’ve achieved in Ukraine? A big part of that has been because after Russian aggression in 2014 and 2015, we earnestly got after preparing for future conflict: training for the Ukrainians, prepositioning of supplies, identification of sites from which we could operate support, sustain operations”. Now we are nurturing the same fears and aspirations that made Japan a mad, bellicose contestant in WWII. And earlier. Japan has succeeded brilliantly post WWII at turning its swords into plowshares. Now we will abet the reversion back to death-dealing material.
It’s not every day that a senior official admits that the US spent 8 years preparing for this war.
The sad thing is that he considers this effort a success.
He has a very short measuring stick?…
Probably a very short sumthin’ else too, Donna…I mean, these guys gotta prove their manhood SOMEhow 😉
Ukraine is a half-sunk Titanic. What could anyone do to save it?
I have a vision of Bierman and his masters wearing orange jumpsuits in some gawdawful supermax.
Forgive me for sounding repetitive but…. The MIC needs some heavy duty antipsychotics.
Can we put massive amounts of lithium in their drinking water Donna? 😁
It will be a re run of Vietnam , 30 years of fighting then run with their tails between their legs ,leaving the Japanese with a ruined country and millions dead.
You’d think the Japanese would know better than to deal with the United Snakes, considering what we did to them…
Somebody needs to save a copy of the general’s speech and send it to the Japanese when Ukraine goes under. Maybe the Japanese can avoid the fate of the Ukrainians, Syrians, Libyans, Mexicans, Afghanis, Iraqis, Vietnamese, and every other nation devastated by American assistance.
The level of optimism is very high (and so am I)….
^^^^^^
Hands Donna some kickass homegrown…
If they are “preparing” for war with China, it is pretty much in the bag that we will be going to war with China….. Third World War.
If you want peace prepare for war. I.e. only by possessing a credible defense is it likely that the US, Japan and Taiwan can deter a Chinese aggression. There is absolutely no way that the US or any of its allies will try to invade China, so war happens if the Chinese attack.
You must work in the war industry? Why else would you even consider going to war on three fronts: Eurasia, East Asia and Middle East just so others can profit?
I’m not considering going to war on any fronts – by having prepared for war NATO is not at war with anyone, has never been had an other country attack it, and has not been forced into a war that it did not chose by itself. I say this as I do not recognize the actions of 9/11 as an attack on NATO but a terrorist action by group of individuals and not a state.
It is therefore my opinion that preparing for a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan is the best way to avoid the Chinese attacking Taiwan – and hence avoid having the US forced into a war they did not prepare properly for or accept what by the looks of it would be a catastrophic loss of value as chip production would have to be re-shored at haste involving enormous public investments.
Why is it that you think that preparing for war inevitably leads to wars having to be fought?
Because Wash. prepares for war when there is peace and no need for preparation, but insists on getting into wars that have nothing to do with the America people!
The US Has Been at war 225 out of 243 years since 1776.
It would be clear evidence that the idiom ‘if you want peace prepare for war’ was wrong, except by centering on the US you have selected a country which clearly did not want peace and hence it was the countries it attacked which had to prepare for the war the US thrust upon them – after the Korean war North Korea followed that advice and has not been attacked.
The same can be said for Iran after the US supported Iraq attack on it. While the idiom is a good advice it does not always work – if as a small nation you prepare for war you are not guaranteed peace – larger nations may still if they are really set upon it thrust war upon you – as it happened to the Ukrainians.
Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, …
Fourth, but yeah. Probably won’t be many targets left by then.
Why, because the current nuclear possibility ain’t enough?
…Just a Pipe Dream…!
Unbelievable the levels of idiocy in these policies. a war with China would bring hyperinflation (China makes all of the world’s eletronics and is a crucial supply chain for everything), millions dead, and a huge chance of nuclear annilation. Even though there have been peace for 70 years with One China, let’s go provoke this war now to end humanity.
and if it happens, Americans are dying too….
The world political system is reaching critical mass, especially in the Northern Hemisphere and it is obvious WWIII is being planned as I type. Without a major anti-war movement from the American People and others in Europe, the state will get that war, and then what???
And then Jesus will come down out of the clouds and transport all the true believers to paradise where they’ll live happily ever after.
That whole scenario you just mentioned has its origins in cold war eschatology when even obscure verses in the bible were indicated to demonize Russia and support Israel. The whole thing is manufactured and just another form of pro-war/Israel propaganda.
Heathen sinner.
“Judge not, for you have not been judged.” -J.C. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” –N.T. Read your church history and you’ll see every generation of Xtians have believed it was the ‘last days.’ Why? Because Jesus said it would be business as usual, and specified events that have always happened. Read your Bible more for what it says, other than for what some preacher or book says it says. Peace!
And Jesus’ll be ridin’ a bomb when he appears 😉
I guess the Japanese people didn’t get enough from Hiroshima and Nagasaki? They better start protesting right now, and kick the Americans out of Japan because they will be more cannon fodder for the evil people in Wash. and others who profit from war.
You know, I’m really beginning to dislike this so-called democracy. Too bad it only took 240 years to turn it into a whorehouse for ambitious pricks.
It didn’t take 2.4 years, let alone 240, to accomplish that.
Do they think that Ukraine HAS BEEN A SUCCESS? Maybe because they succeed in provoking Russia….what a group of criminals!!!
Only you endorse death of the innocent.
US Military Increasing Cooperation With Japan to Prepare for Defeat By China