Malaysia Rejects US Sea Patrols

[Eye and Monkey]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3598977.stm

Malaysia has rejected a proposal that the United States help patrol one of the world's busiest waterways. America's top military commander in the region said Washington intended to use US forces to counter possible terrorism in the Straits of Malacca.

However, it appears that he failed to consult Malaysia, which along with Indonesia borders the straits.

Malaysia said the US should have sought its consent on what it called an issue of national sovereignty. The head of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Thomas Fargo, said there was widespread support for the initiative.

[evworldeditor]

1. The Sorrows of Empire

I am reading Chalmers Johnson's new book, 'The Sorrows of Empire' in which asserts that guys like Fargo exercize virtual Proconsul powers in America's version of the "Roman Empire." He categorizes a militaristic society as one in which the military takes increasing responsibility for the formulation -- as well as execution -- of foreign policy, a duty once the responsibility of diplomats. In the BushCo era, its Rumsfeld and the Pentagon who call the shots, not Powell and the State Department.

This would appear to be another example of precisely what he's talking about.

[54anickel]

4. Did you read his previous "Blowback" book? I just posted an

article in the Economics forum discussion his thoughts the other day.
Found that interview facinating, wondering how the book is.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=114x7655

[54anickel]

2. I hope the US stays the heck out of there. They don't need or want

us there. I think US patrols would work like a magnet in the region, any region for that matter.

[MetaTrope]

3. The irony is that piracy is a real problem in those waters

These days the pirates have speedboats and wield automatic weapons, but it's still happening there. But inviting ourselves in to patrol is not going to be a welcome move.

[DemoTex]

5. A cuz of mine wanted me to bare-boat a sloop in the Straits with him.

He is a retired Texas Army Guard Maj. General and a retired Exxon executive. He and his wife and Mrs. D and I bare-boated a 50-ft sloop in the Greek Islands a few years back. When he proposed the Straits of Malaysia trip I questioned his sanity (they are ultra-right wingers, which made the Greek trip a bit uncomfortable). Piracy is rampant in the Straits. Anyway, after the storm he got us into in the Aegean (on a 10-hour crossing from Kea to Poros), my sailing days with him are over.

[Pale_Rider]

6. I would imagine that the US ...

... needs some sort of justification for berthing ships in Singapore.

[dawn]

7. We should have consulted them.

Or wait for an OK from the Association of SE Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is their region.

(from the article)
"However, the Bush administration is unpopular both in Malaysia and Indonesia, and not just among Muslims. "

Is he popular anywhere???