Water wars- not new - somewhat predictable- China pretty much controls the Himalayas so it controls the water from the Himalayas. Give back Tibet. We need to reduce world population- this is just one example of the resource pressures that are created with large populations. India would be wise to reduce it's population if it doesn't want massive poverty due to China's water hegemony.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebensraum

I'm not an expert on Lebensraum but my understanding is that in 1880 Prussia stretched to Lithuania. The German's as I understand seemed to think that the Slavic peoples over a period occupied areas once controlled by Germanic peoples. Some of this appears to be related to The Holy Roman Empire perhaps and the Germanic relationship. After WWI and WWII Germany lost a lot of territory I understand.

There has been a fair amount of conflict between Germany, Lithuania/ Poland, Russia (also Hungary is interesting) over the last 500 years- so they all have some claim to the territory.

Based on the Germany inheriting the role that was held by the Roman Empire upon it's fall in the 400's- they seem to have the longest claim to Roman Europe.

Many Hebrew peoples seems to have concentrated in the region at the intersection of Lithuania, Russia, and Germany after they were expelled from Spain from memory (so it is an interesting part of the world).

Obviously I'd need to do more research- and track how the borders have changed over 1600 years.

I notice that China has refused permission for one of the 82 bulk
carriers to leave to deliver their cargo to Japan.
What a nerve !
Which raises an interesting thought;
Has China understood that if these held up ships leave they are in
trouble because they must be running their stocks down and they have
probably found it difficult to replace such large quantities at short notice.
Other ship owners would be reluctant to accept a charter.
The government is probably looking at their stocks with the satellite.
As the stocks deplete they can modify their stance.
The government could bring it to a head by ordering the ships via
coal brokers to all leave at the same time. Problem maybe that the
cargo is FOB and has already been paid.
Still refusal to accept delivery may be grounds to cancel.

Bazz,

A smart person could have seen this coming a mile away.

In fact a smart person did see this this coming: Mr Opinion.

I TOLD YOU SO

And things are going to get worse UNLESS we put into place Mr Opinion's 10 point plan to placate the Chinese:

1. Permit Huawei to operate unrestricted in Australia.
2. Rescind proposed federal legislation aimed at preventing Victoria and WA from signing up to China's Belt & Road Initiative.
3. Allow the Chinese to have unrestricted purchase rights to Australian industries and natural resources.
4. Ban Australian media from saying anything derogatory about China's strategic policies.
5. Withdraw Australian military from exercises in the South China Sea.
6. Rescind any alliances Australia has with the US and Japan.
7. Cease commenting on Chinese ambitions for Hong Kong and Taiwan becoming unified with the PRC.
8. Permit free migration for tens of millions of Chinese to Australia and allow them access to Australian business and property markets at a 50% discount.
9. Elevate former(?) affiliate of the CCP Gladys Liu to the position of Leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister of Australia.
10. Make Soot and the Boys crawl naked on their hands and knees to Emperor Xi and kiss his feet and plead for his forgiveness.

Come on Bazz and all you others in the pro-China camp start sending Soot & Boyz the message to get down on their hands and knees and start kowtowing to Xi.