Opinion | NATO chief is exploiting Asian weak links and sabotaging Asia's millennium

By Augustus K. Yeung

INTRODUCTION

As the war in Ukraine wears on, the invisible hands of Washington are stretching to Asia, reaching Japan and Korea, first through Austin's "visit" to the Philippines, and now NATO, which is more dangerous – as Stoltenberg, the Secretary-General, has claimed he "sees 'some signs' China could back Russia's war", when in fact he wants firmer ties with Japan to "defend democracy".

Washington thinks Asia is too peaceful to be left alone amid the raging war in Ukraine. U.S. Accordingly, President Joe Biden has cautioned his top aides to tell their Asian allies that America may be busy fighting a proxy war, but they will not and have not forgotten their friends' "security" in East Asia.

Such is the beautiful excuse for Austin's visit to the Philippines. The American Secretary of Defense ended up signing an agreement with the Marcos regime, allowing them four more strategic footholds, including Subic Bay – where the U.S. Army used it for flying bombers to Vietnam for "visits".

Now comes Stoltenberg. Why was he in Japan and Korea?

This NATO army chief has his own fuzzy logic that defies human comprehension; his "insight" reminds me of the Nazi generals who were known for their cruelty as illustrated in the extermination of millions of Jews in the Polish concentration camp.

Read the following text. Readers will know: Stoltenberg is a huffing-puffing wolf in sheep's skin.

Why was NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg in Japan and South Korea?

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in Japan as part of his East Asian tour, said "our security is closely interconnected" and called for stronger ties with Japan as Russia's war on Ukraine raises global dangers and shows that democracies need stronger partnerships.

Japan has been quick to join the U.S.-led economic sanctions against Russia's war on Ukraine and provided humanitarian aid and non-combative defense equipment for the Ukrainians.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has sounded alarm that Russia's aggression in Europe could happen in Asia, where concerns are growing over already "assertive" China and its escalating tensions near Taiwan. Japan also has significantly stepped-up ties with NATO recently.

"The war in Ukraine also demonstrates that our security is closely interconnected," Stoltenberg said during his visit at the Iruma Air Base north of Tokyo, where he started his Japan visit yesterday after arriving late Monday from Korea.

"If President Vladimir Putin wins in Ukraine, it will be a tragedy for the Ukrainians, but it will also send a very dangerous message to authoritarian leaders all over the world because then the message will be that when they use military force they can achieve their goals," he said. "So the war in Ukraine matters for all of us."

Stoltenberg said his visit to Japan "is a way to further strengthen the partnership between NATO and our highly valued partner Japan."

What Has Conflict in Europe Got to Do with Japan and the Koreans in East Asia?

Japan, already a close ally of the United States, has in recent years expanded its military ties with other Indo-Pacific nations as well as with Britain, Europe and NATO amid growing security "threat" from China and North Korea.

Japan issued a new national security strategy in December stating its determination to build up its military and deploy long-range missiles to preempt enemy attacks in a major break from its post-World War II principle that limited itself to self-defense. Japan also hopes to further ease restrictions on arms export to strengthen the country's feeble defense industry.

While in South Korea on Monday, Stoltenberg called for South Korea to provide direct military support to Ukraine to help Kyiv to fight off the prolonged Russian invasion. So far, Seoul has only provided humanitarian aid and other support, citing a long-standing policy of not supplying weapons to countries in conflict.

Stoltenberg also met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday and discussed Seoul's commitment to support Ukraine and NATO's possible role in "dissuading" North Korea from its growing nuclear ambitions following an unprecedented number of ballistic missile tests in 2022, Yoon's office said.

Stoltenberg on Sunday mentioned U.S. "intelligence" reports accusing North Korea of providing weapons to Russia to support its war in Ukraine.

North Korea condemned his visits to South Korea and Japan, saying that NATO was trying to put its "military boots in the region" and attempting to pressure America's Asian allies into providing weapons to Ukraine.

In a statement released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, North Korea criticized increasing cooperation between NATO and U.S. allies in Asia as a process to create an "Asian version of NATO" that would raise tensions in the region. (Source: MDT/AP)

CONCLUSION

All the while, we the people in Asia have been receiving news "reports" that North Korea has been testing one missile after another, stone-setting in the public's mind that it is belligerent and even dangerous.

Now, as North Korea's leader speaks, we know that the leader's comments on NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg's "visit" is not without reasons and logic.

Stoltenberg is a hawkish European leader, trying to seduce Japan into joining warmongering leagues by engaging in more immoral military activities with the joint efforts of fueling the conflict in Ukraine, prolonging and lengthening the pains of the Ukrainians who are already dispatched and disheartened.

Following Austin's "visit" to the Philippines, the United States army has successfully secured four more naval bases in Asia. The people in the area are now "seeing red, white and blue" stars-and-stripes much more so than before. The people in Asia, who have been enjoying international trade and conducting businesses that flourish, feel like telling the NATO's Chief, "Let the good time roll in Asia!"

We think Austin is bad. Stoltenberg is the worst Western leader to have visited Asia-Pacific region; because he is by far the most dangerous man whose intention is not "to visit," but to drag peace-loving Asians into the European war.

The author is a freelance writer; formerly Adjunct Lecturer, taught MBA Philosophy of Management, and International Strategy, and online columnist of 3-D Corner (HKU SPACE), University of Hong Kong.

 

The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.

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