Pacific Views

Brothers in Arms: The Bear and the Panda

Russia and China have rushed to assure the world that their joint military exercises aren't meant to intimidate anyone. Who are they kidding? I'll buy that when I believe that George Bush went into Iraq out of a selfless desire to give the Iraqi people their freedom:

... Though the exercise will simulate an attack on a fictional restive country, Moscow and Beijing are keen to stress that they are rehearsing a peace-keeping mission that would be conducted under United Nations auspices.

The fictional scenario envisages an imaginary state engulfed in a wave of violence fuelled by "ethnic and religious differences". Both sides have spoken of the need to "fight against international terrorism, separatism and extremism," words that will give pause for thought to Taiwan and Chechnya respectively.

... The aim of the 10,000-strong Russo-Chinese force taking part in Peace Mission 2005 is to "restore order" and quell a numerically superior enemy force of some 100,000.

They will do this by launching an amphibious and airborne assault, by launching cruise missiles from bombers and submarines and by deploying infantry units against "illegal armed formations" who will be "played" by Chinese troops. ...

You know what to do when you don't want people to become separatists? Treat them so well that they don't want to leave.