American engagement is also needed in dealing with the 'soft power' dimensions of the world's slide towards conflict - for reasons suggested in 'If you are right, Australia is in trouble' and 'What is Soft Power?"
http://cpds.apana.org.au/Teams/Articles/child_abuse.htm#21_9_16
http://cpds.apana.org.au/Teams/Articles/Babes.htm#11_9_16

Deception is the core of traditional East Asian Art of War strategies - and 'soft power' methods for creating confusion and disunity seem to be being increasingly used in Australia (and presumably in the US) presumably in the conventional hope of 'winning beforehand'.

Well, if we are looking for an improvement on Obama, forget Clinton; Clinton is of the same left as Obama, which has actually encouraged China's belligerence with its weakness. Trump represents the firm right, which is needed to regain America's self respect and prosperity. But, he is an unknown quantity when it comes to foreign policy. It is doubtful that America will ever return to being the world leader of Reagan days. Nevertheless, it will still be Australia's best ally and protector. Australia must show China that it stands firmly with its like ally, and that will not acquiesce to totalitarian, communist bullying. We have to stick with people and countries like ourselves.

As for Syria, well leave them alone. Leave the entire Middle East alone - except in support for Israel, the only democratic country in the area - and leave that other basket case, Africa, to itself, as well. We have enough on our plates defending ourselves and Western civilization from the barbarians and our own resident Marxists to bother with being 'nice' to the likes of China. And, equally important, cut needless, costly immigration, particularly of those people who have have nothing to offer except dissent and dislike.

Liar Liar.. Pants on Fire..

Another crap article, courtesey of the Ministry of Propaganda.

Putin never occupied Ukraine.
Crimea voted to succeed from Ukraine after the Western-backed Maidan, then they voted to join Russia in a second referendum.
The plan for Syria is to remove Assad, again Western-backed, and Yemen is to install a US puppet ruler.
Phillipines the CIA run drugs from Vietnam, and also has now backed away from the SCS issue, so Muete is now top of the list as a target of western regime change.

Russia isn't necessarily being assertive, they didn't start it, the US did.
It accepted the request for help from the democratic leader of Syria, President Bashar Al Assad.
They have an interest in defending Syria as western powers want to regime change Syria to put oil pipelines through to service Europe which would destoy Russia economically. (one of the reasons)

Putin does not want to revive the Soviet Union.
Again, its not assertiveness on the part of Russia and China.
They are acting defensively because of the aggression shown by Washington.

Syria was not responsible for the chemical attacks commonly attributed to him.
The attack was done by western-backed rebels and blamed on Assad.
It occurred on a day UN inspectors just happened to be there, to create a context for western powers to intervene.
Like the bombing on the beach in Tunisia and the attack in Paris, brought about official changes in national military stances towards the Syrian conflict.

Obama created that red line, (despite their own use of chemical weapons and sales of white phosphorous to M/E countries) for the purpose of staging an event that would create 'justification' of further measures towards Assads removal.

The world does resemble the years preceding the second world war, only this time America is clearly the aggressor.

Just wondering do they pay you to push these NEOCON talking points or are you a globalist butt-licker of your own accord?

The truth about the fabled Reagan days - or the daze of American "greatness"
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Ronald_Reagan/RonaldReagan_page.html

To Armchair Critic

Firstly, the secession vote undertaken by Crimea was deemed illegal by everyone except for Russia. Herman Van Rompuy and Manuel Barosso, president of the European council and EU commission president have said that it was illegal. Secondly, what do you call 'little green men' invading another sovereign country--that looks pretty assertive to me.
Secondly 'the democratic leader or Syria' huh? Syria is a dictatorship mate. It's democratic the same way that North Korea is 'the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.'
Thirdly, Putin wants to expand Russia's influence through military force--tell the Baltic states that he's not a thug. Fourthly, Russia and China have been acting extremely aggressively--you've only got to see what China is doing to its smaller neighbours to see that they're not a partner for peace. Armchair critic, check your facts before you post mate.

I disagree with most of this premise!

I don't accept must as an appropriate term in diplomatic dialogue!

Such as the US president must be more assertive!

Yes he must have a big stick but held in a velvet glove! But needs to be smarter! Particularly when dealing with China or Sabre rattling Putin!

And as easy as ushering in SAFE, CLEAN, CHEAP molten salt thorium technology and then use it to turn seawater into COPIOUS LOW COST FUEL! And well below the production costs of comparable Russian or Chinese equivalents!

Then flood the free world with this almost free fuel or derivitives! And with that flood, end the economic blackmail that has been the international energy market for literal decades!

Leaving most of the miscreants entirely unfunded and urgently needing to do deals, such as selling all weapons grade plutonium to the US, where it can be safely burned in molten salt reactors to create SAFE, AFFORDABLE, CHEAPER THAN COAL domestic energy; to keep domestic Sabre rattling economies afloat!

And that is the only kind of absolutely essential engagement, with a snowflake's chance in hell of avoiding nuclear conflict!

Yes, the US will have to start from scratch as would we if embarking on energy reliant economy transformation!
Alan B.