| > They sure as hell didn't wait until Tuesday when this news broke to "seize up territorial claims" whatever that means. Similarly, USA had no need to specially wait for provocation to back their allies in the region. Countries in the region were looking with scepticism on US "security guarantee" for decades. And the last few years gave them even more reasons to move away from USA. For example, both Philippines and Malaysia were at some moments seriously committed to conduct action on Spratleys, both times it was US who exerted extreme diplomatic pressure on them to not to do so. They have all reasons to ask questions why do they have to spend diplomatic efforts on maintaining US security guarantee, if US is not willing to defend their land. CPC's think tanks have long found that the best way to put pressure on countries in the region is through pressuring the US. They make it look to US government that their relationship with a given country have "too high of a price," and raise risks, and stakes for the US. Then they come to Washington, and say "hey, let's deescalate, and go back to making money. Just make one small concession on that island." Of course, in the end it will be not USA making concessions, but their vital allies. |