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Tag Archives: Mack Williams
MACK WILLIAMS. Korean Peninsula – just where are we right now?
So much is going on in the different channels between the US and China, China and the DPRK and by now maybe US and DPRK that reading the tea leaves is an almost impossible – if not frantic – task. … Continue reading
Posted in Defence/Security, Foreign Affairs
Tagged China and DPRK, DPRK missiles, Korean peninsula, Mack Williams, Presidents Xi and Trump, RMB devaluation, Seoul threat, USS Carl Vinson
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MACK WILLIAMS. Canberra wrong-footed in our region?
For Ms Bishop to be talking in Singapore about China and democracies, the Japanese “big ship” and rallying the claimants while pleading with the US to remain staunchly committed in the region certainly is risky. We could be exposed as … Continue reading
MACK WILLIAMS. Joint patrols with Indonesia in the South China Sea?
Has Foreign Minister Bishop finally been able to kill off the proposed joint Australia: Indonesia patrols in the South China Sea ?
Posted in Defence/Security, Foreign Affairs
Tagged Australia and Indonesia, Julie Bishop, Mack Williams, President Widodo, South China Sea
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MACK WILLIAMS. South China Sea: China taps in the last nail!
It is now clear for all to see that the only potential US “ally” for any US confrontation in the region could be Australia. China has successfully wedged the ASEAN’s in through their common concern that it would be them … Continue reading
MACK WILLIAMS. Trump : Getting our priorities right
Is China going to fill the void? The media-hyped flurry to try to establish the likely policy guidelines of the Trump administration is timely and natural but should be approached very cautiously. Not only is it virtually impossible at … Continue reading
Posted in Defence/Security, Foreign Affairs, Politics
Tagged China and ASEAN, Donald Trump, Foreign Affairs White Paper, links to US agencies, Mack Williams, South China Sea, Trump administration
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MACK WILLIAMS. General Macarthur, the Philippines and Australian troops in WWII.
The very good Boston Globe article reminded me of two other events in Philippines history of WW11 about which so little is known in Australia. They have some relevance to the contemporary scene. For a long time prior to … Continue reading
Posted in Australia and Asia, Defence/Security, Foreign Affairs
Tagged AIF's 7th Division, Australian troops in Mindanao, Boston Globe, Douglas Macarthur, Mack Williams
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MACK WILLIAMS. The real shipping choke point for Australia – Sibutu Channel
Neither the Australian government nor the Australian media have informed us about the critical nature of the Sibutu Channel. As mentioned in this blog some time ago. the active political and media discussion in Australia about the South China Sea … Continue reading
Posted in Australia and Asia, Defence/Security, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Media, Politics
Tagged Abu Sayyaf, Australian trade routes, China and Malaysia joint naval operations, Korean vessel interception, Mack Williams, Philippines/Malaysian security operations, Sibutu Channel, South China Sea
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MACK WILLIAMS. President Duterte and high stakes poker.
Following President Duterte’s recent trips to China and Japan he has continued to play his hand in what has become a high stakes poker game with the US and China attracting a growing number of interested onlookers. Despite the twists … Continue reading
MACK WILLIAMS. Duterte plays the China card
Not surprisingly, President Duterte is proving more than a handful for US policy makers on the eve of his major state visit to China. If he achieves many of the ambitious goals set for the visit , Duterte will … Continue reading
Posted in Australia and Asia, Defence/Security
Tagged CIA and Philippines military, Duterte, Mack Williams, Philippines and China, Philippines and the US
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MACK WILLIAMS. Here we go again: Julie Bishop and Duterte!
Foreign Minister Bishop’s not so gentle rebuke of President Duterte that the Philippines as a claimant state should pull its weight in the South China Sea eerily had all the elements of the earlier Australian approach to the acrimonious … Continue reading