futon

The Pacific War is not like the ME.

If Tojo was a war criminal for scheming the Pacific War.. so too was FDR. If Iwane Matsui was a war criminal for Nanking, so too was Truman for the Atomic bombings.

The start of the Pacific War was 50/50. No oil embargo, no PH. US saving preserving the Nationalists Chinese on the mainland failed anyway. The Mao regime kilked more Chinese during "peace time" then the Japanese did during the war.

The existential threat was on Japan, not the US. Germany had already surrendered. It was US desire for uncondentional surrender.. not an existential threat.

Washington, May 12 (Jiji Press) — A U.S. Republican senator again made remarks Sunday justifying the 1945 U.S. atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. ... https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/world/us-canada/20240513-185715/ Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Sunday compared Israel’s war against Hamas to the U.S. decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan in World War II during an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” “When we were faced with destruction as a nation after Pearl Harbor, fighting the Germans and the Japanese, we decided to end the war by the bombing [of] Hiroshima [and] Nagasaki with nuclear weapons,” Graham said. “That was the right decision.” He added, “Give Israel the bombs they need to end the war. They can’t afford to lose.” Graham, a staunch supporter of Israel, used the analogy multiple times while condemning President Joe Biden for threatening to withhold certain weapons from Israel if it launches a military operation in Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza where over a million civilians are sheltering. Asked by moderator Kristen Welker why it was OK for President Ronald Reagan to withhold certain weapons from Israel during its war in Lebanon in the 1980s, but not OK for Biden to threaten to do so now, Graham once again brought up World War II. “Can I say this?” he asked. “Why is it OK for America to drop two nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end their existential threat war? Why was it OK for us to do that? I thought it was OK.” He added, “So, Israel, do whatever you have to do to survive as a Jewish state. Whatever you have to do.” Welker pushed back, telling Graham that U.S. military officials say technology has vastly changed since World War II, a point she made earlier in the interview as well. “Yeah, these military officials that you’re talking about are full of crap,” Graham answered. ... https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna151828

F.K. 58s in 1939.

I'm not trying to make a witch hunt against countries that make project agreements with China. It's handy to know what projects are stated, planned, and get realized. Same deal with projects in places like ASEAN. I get the state perspective.

B1 mentioned (perhaps three times by now actually) that the German warship that used its gun vs some Houthi drones in the Red Sea was partly because before using the gun, the warship attempted to shoot down a drone at longer range with a missile. But the drone was unknowingly a US one that was lucky to not be successfully intercepted. So keeping the engagment range shorter was a way to reduce risk of friendly fire in the red sea situation. But at any rate, the guns make sense to use I would think.

Хвала.

... Тајван је Кина Вучић је поновио да је Тајван - Кина и запитао да ли они који се не слажу са његовим мишљењем хоће да сруше систем Уједињених нација. Он је на питање новинара о писању појединих медија да ће његов став по питању Тајвана скупо коштати Србију, рекао да у његовом одговору није ништа спорно. "Ја сам рекао да ћу одговорити у 10 секунди, а вама ћу одговорити у две - Тајван је Кина. Шта је проблем и шта је нетачно. Јел то тако у УН, хоћете да срушимо систем УН. Хоћете сутрадан да ми кажете да не смем да говорим ни о Косову и Метохији и резолуцијама УН. Коме сам то нанео штету? Има ли нека друга политика, чија је то политика другачија - руска, америчка, ко то мисли да Тајван није Кина. Лупетају", рекао је Вучић. На питање какве су шансе да се до краја године достигне пет милијарди страних инвестиција, Вучић је рекао да би то било лепо, али да је дуга година. "Забринут сам због тога што се збива у свету. Из разговора са Зеленским и свима. Позиција ми омогућава да понешто више знам, што ми ни посао ни ситуацију не олакшава. Идемо ка усложњавању ситуације у свету", рекао је Вучић. ... https://www.politika.rs/scc/clanak/601830/Vucic-iz-Tirane-Vazan-dan-za-Srbiju-video

Смедерево – Министарка енергетике и рударства Дубравка Ђедовић Хандановић, потписала је Оквирни споразум са компанијом „Чајна Енерџи Интернешнл Груп“ о пројекту изградње постројења за прераду нафте и нафтних деривата у Смедереву. Нови погон производиће деривате нафте у складу са највишим технолошким, еколошким и стандардима квалитета производа у ЕУ, саопштено је. Капцитет будуће рафинерије је до 100 000 барела дневно. Укупан износ инвестиције процењен је на око 2,4 милијарде евра, рекла је данас градоначелница Смедерева, Јасмина Војиновић, додајући да је реч о директној кинеској инвестицији. „ У рафинерији нафте у Смедереву планира се директно ангажовање 700 радника, а посредно ће бити ангажовано око 2.400 људи“, најавила је Војиновићева представљајући новинарима детаље овог пројекта. Она је навела да је локација већ опредељена у индустријској зони Смедерева, те да ће се простирати на површини од 114 хектара. Реч је о земљишту које је у власништву државе и које је и раније било у плану за рафинерију. Према њеним речима сада следи пројектовање, избор добављача опреме која ће бити по највишим европским еколошким стандардима и у складу са домаћим законима. „ Реч је о једној од најчистијих технологија у области производње нафте и њених деривата“, рекла је градоначелница Смедерева. Такође је навела да су урађене анализе нафтног тржишта и несметаног тарнспорта сирове нафте. Претходно је министарка Ђедовић Хандановић оценила да ће реализација овог пројекта допринети смањењу енергетске зависности Србије, али и повећању домаћег БДП-а. https://www.politika.rs/scc/clanak/613574/U-Smederevu-ce-se-graditi-kineska-rafinerija

Мађарска и Србија граде најмодернији, највећи, најбезбеднији и најбржи гранични прелаз у Европи, изјавио је шеф мађарске дипломатије Петер Сијарто. "Путни прелаз Реске (Хоргош 2) је изузетно прометан. Сви смо упознати са сликама дугих колона камиона и аутомобила. Не желимо да то буде случај у будућности", рекао је он. Сијарто је најавио да ће српски и кинески партнери размотрити како да у што краћем року изграде нафтовод између Мађарске и Србије, са циљем да се појача сигурност снабдевања енергентима две земље и целог региона, преноси МТИ. Истакао је да је посета кинеског председника Си Ђинпинга Будимпешти од историјског значаја, као и да је разговор између мађарског премијера Виктора Орбана и кинеског лидера био ''изузетно успешан''. Сијарто је нагласио да ће Мађарска и Кина наставити да сарађују по питању развоја веза између Истока и Запада, као и да ће се сарадња две земље проширити на нуклеарну енергију. Maybe content is more raw and to the substance, less manipulation. https://www.politika.rs/scc/clanak/613591/Sijarto-Srbija-i-Madarska-grade-najmoderniji-granicni-prelaz-u-Evropi

Pardon my careless source selection.

GRAHAM: Would you have supported dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? General Brown, to end World War II?BROWN JR: Well Senator, I think it is based on the situation –GRAHAM: Well, we know I mean, it happened, we know. I’m not asking, they did it. Do you think that was disproportionate?BROWN JR: It was –GRAHAM: Do you, in hindsight, do you think that was the right decision for America to drop two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities in question?BROWN JR: Well, I’ll tell you, it stopped the world war.GRAHAM: Okay. Well, so. Do you agree, General Austin? If you’d been around, would you say drop them?AUSTIN: I agree with the chairman here.GRAHAM: I mean, if you were if we go back in time says, hey, we got two atomic bombs, should we drop them? What would you say?AUSTIN: Well, you know, I think the leadership was interested in curtailing –GRAHAM: What’s Israel interested in? Do you believe Iran really wants to kill all the Jews if they could? The Iranian regime. Do you believe Hamas is serious when they say we’ll keep doing it over and over again? Do you agree that they will if they can?AUSTIN: I do.GRAHAM: Okay. Alright. Do you believe that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization also bent on the destruction of the Jewish state?AUSTIN: Hezbollah is a terrorist organization.GRAHAM: Okay, so Israel’s been hit in the last few weeks by Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas dedicated to their destruction. And you’re telling me you’re going to tell them how to fight the war? And what they can and can’t use when everybody around them wants to kill all the Jews. And you’re telling me that if we withhold weapons in this fight — the existential fight for the life of the Jewish state — it won’t send the wrong signal? Do you still think it was a good idea, General Austin, to get out of Afghanistan? AUSTIN: I support the president’s decision. GRAHAM: Yeah, I think you do. I think it was a disastrous decision. If we stop weapons necessary to destroy the enemies of the State of Israel at a time of great peril, we will pay a price. This is obscene. It is absurd. Give Israel what they need to fight the war. They can’t afford to lose. This is Hiroshima and Nagasaki on steroids. https://www.mediaite.com/politics/lindsey-graham-presses-lloyd-austin-on-halted-weapons-to-israel-asks-if-he-would-have-dropped-atomic-bombs-on-japan/amp/

TAINAN (TVBS News) — Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) honored the legacy of Yoichi Hatta (八田與一), the engineer behind the Chianan Irrigation, at a memorial service marking 82 years since his death on Wednesday (May 8). The event, held at the Wushantou Reservoir in Tainan, drew officials and representatives from both Taiwan and Japan, underscoring the deep ties and mutual support between the two nations. Lai highlighted the significant contributions of the Wushantou Reservoir, constructed 94 years ago by Hatta, to agriculture, industry, and domestic water supply, including its role in supporting operations at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC, 台積電) in the Southern Taiwan Science Park. He emphasized the reservoir's role in strengthening Taiwan-Japan relations and expressed hope for enhanced cooperation to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The memorial was attended by 18 dignitaries, including Presidential Office Advisor Huang Kun-hu, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Chen Tian-shou, and the head of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office, Kazuyuki Katayama. ... https://news.tvbs.com.tw/amp/english/2480651 TAIPEI (Kyodo) -- Close to 200 people from Japan, including dozens of lawmakers, are expected to attend Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te's inauguration ceremony on May 20, the island's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. At present, 37 cross-party members of Japan's parliament and over 140 visitors from various local and non-governmental groups are expected to come to Taiwan for the inauguration event, the ministry said. The delegation of Japanese legislators includes some who formerly served as Cabinet members. The ministry said the dispatch "fully demonstrates the friendship and support" from Japan for the island's new government. Despite not having any formal diplomatic ties, Taipei and Tokyo share an amicable relationship. In 2016, some 250 people from Japan attended incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen's inauguration ceremony. They included Keiji Furuya, current head of a cross-party group of Japanese lawmakers dedicated to strengthening Tokyo-Taipei relations, and Seishiro Eto, former vice speaker of the House of Representatives. The number of Japanese participants was the largest among the roughly 700 foreign guests from more than 50 countries. Lai, the incumbent vice president who heads the ruling, independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, defeated his two opposition party rivals in a closely watched election in January, securing a third consecutive four-year term for the DPP for the first time. https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20240507/p2g/00m/0in/043000c

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping received a ceremonial welcome in Hungary’s capital on Thursday ahead of a day of talks with Hungarian officials which are expected to result in further Chinese investments in the Central European country. ... Numerous Chinese and Hungarian officials attended the ceremony, including Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s long-serving populist leader who has pursued deeper ties with Beijing while distancing himself from his more mainstream partners in the European Union. Beijing has invested billions in Hungary and sees the EU member as an important foothold inside the 27-member trading bloc. In December, Hungary announced that one of the world’s largest EV manufacturers, China’s BYD, will open its first European EV production factory in the south of the country — an inroad that could upend the competitiveness of the continent’s auto industry. Hungary is also hosting several Chinese EV battery plants and hopes to become a global hub of lithium ion battery manufacturing, and has undertaken a railway project to connect the country with the Chinese-controlled port of Piraeus in Greece as an entry point for Chinese goods to Central and Eastern Europe. Both governments have been careful to keep the contents of any potential deals secret until their official announcement. But unconfirmed media reports suggest China could announce additional investments in EV manufacturing and in developing Hungary’s railway network. ... A Hungarian lawmaker with the opposition Momentum party told The Associated Press that he and a colleague had been approached by a group of such men on Wednesday as they attempted to place EU flags on a bridge in Budapest. In a video obtained by the AP, the lawmaker, Márton Tompos, said that the men, all wearing red baseball caps, confronted him to make sure that no flags or symbols referencing China-claimed Tibet or Taiwan would be hung on the route of Xi’s motorcade. https://apnews.com/article/chinas-xi-welcomed-hungary-talks-orban-0719880a351a5ef0763ae6a623a7798b

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Nice!

A plan to acquire 350. From 2010 to 2020, 111 have been procured. In 2021, none. So it looked like the "about 100" has been done. A 5 year plan for 2019 to 2023 had 30 more to procure. 2019.. 5 2020.. 12 (17) 2021.. 0 (17) 2022.. 6 (23) 2023.. 9 (32 for the 5 year plan) Total 126. Then came the 2023 document saying a total of 350. 2024 is just 10.. so currently 136 Type 10s. If they want to get to 350, I would think that they will need to bump up the annual rate. So I'm sort of expecting something like 15 to 20 in the budget request for 2025. Otherwise, 350 is doubtful. But if indeed so, in the end, 350 Type 10s. I've heard nothing about Type 90s retiring. So 341 of those plus the new total for Type 10s makes about 690 tanks some day.

For the frigate.. two ideas 1) Keep an eye on DPRK shipping activity. A Canadian warship has been doing that. Will still need to keep an eye on them if Taiwan stuff happens. 2) Anti-sub patrols outside the 1st island chain. Some PRC subs may get through the island chain. An extra frigate can help cover up exposed areas further back such as areas along the 2nd island chain. (and actually, Russian Pacific Fleet subs may try to poke around as well).

I can think of three useful things 4 German Typhoons can do if Taiwan stuff happens. 1) Help keep an eye and deterrance towards the north. The same Russia is here too. 2) Escort long range aircraft such aerial refuelers or US bombers. PRC long range air-to-air missiles surely intend to target these. 3) Add mass to fighter groups that include other allies such as Australia.

I can only wonder as well as to why Bangladesh wanted it that way.

Type 69-II G seems to be a modernized version of the tank for only Bangladesh. They seem to have that tube.

The German Army is expected to join an exercise with Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force as early as next year, according to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, against a backdrop of China's military buildup in the Indo-Pacific region and territorial claims in the South China Sea. In a recent written interview with Kyodo News, Pistorius revealed that the upcoming joint exercise, set to take place in Japan, will be the first of its kind between the two countries' ground forces. ... Pistorius stated that officials from Germany's army have recently visited Japan to coordinate their participation in the GSDF drills. This collaboration follows the conclusion of their defense pact earlier this year, aimed at facilitating exchanges of supplies and logistical support. The acquisition and cross-servicing agreement, or ACSA, simplifies the process of sharing food, fuel and ammunition between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the German military. The two countries' maritime and air forces have already conducted joint exercises, and Germany is committed to deploying a frigate, a supply ship and aircraft in the Indo-Pacific region this year. The German frigate is expected to make a port call in Japan in August, with the European country's fighter jets planned to join a drill with Japan's Air Self-Defense Force in July. ... https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/05/9b350f4127cf-japan-germany-may-hold-1st-joint-land-force-exercise-next-year.html

Chinese wiki describes the command tank with extra antenna stuff for the B and C models of Type 69-II: 工厂产品代号“BW121B/C”，为69-IIA式配套使用的指挥型坦克，主要改进是加装通信器材及辅助发电机组，炮塔顶部装有杆状无线电天线，炮塔后部加装两个储物架，内藏线卷及战场电话[9]。69-ⅡC式指挥坦克在69-ⅡB式指挥坦克基础上改换通信电台，69-ⅡC1式指挥坦克在69-ⅡC式基础上改进共用宽带天线。 So Stuart might be right.