Military- China

Questions from the Article

1. What does the authour mean when he says that there is a 'strategic shadow' that looms over everything? How does this relate to the US?                                      There is a China dimension behind US President Barack Obama's decision to pull out of Afghanistan more quickly than his generals want. This relates to the US because the US's economic and national interests are centrally engaged, and the China challenge presents itself more strongly.
2. What does the author propose regarding uranium sales to India?                           The author proposes that China lies behind the likely push by Gillard cabinet ministers at December's Labor Party Conference to end the ban on Australian uranium sales to India. This is about the strategic relationship with India.
3. What mistakes does the author say that Gillard has made in the region?                The mistakes that the Gillard has made in the region are on illegal immigrants coming by boat, her East Timor solution, the premature announcement of the Malaysian people-swap deal, and the abrupt suspension of the live cattle trade with Indonesia, were all appalling mistakes made by Gillard against public service advice.
4. How has China save us from these mistakes? China has saved Australia from these mistakes because Southeast Asians are so disturbed by China's massive militarisation, and its aggressive actions in the South China Sea and East China Sea, that they are cleaving close to the US, and close to Australia as well.
5. What does the quote 'cleaving close to the US and close to us' mean?                   The quote 'cleaving close' means that they are clinging to/ that they are sticking to.
6. What has China forced regarding coordination btw Australia and the US? China lies behind the negotiations by Australian and US defence officials for much greater US military involvement in northern Australia. This will mean much more frequent visits by US warships and aircraft to the north, much more frequent joint exercising with our forces and the pre-positioning of US materiel.
7. Who will be conducting the Australia Defense Force Posture review? What were their former posts in the government?                                                               The Australian Defence Force Posture Review will be conducted by two former heads of the Defence Department, Allan Hawke and Ric Smith.
8. What five areas will they focus on?                                                                    The five areas they will focus on are  the rise of the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean rim as regions of global strategic significance; the growth of military power projection capabilities in the Asia Pacific; the need for disaster relief in the region; and "energy security and security issues associated with expanding offshore resource exploitation in our northwest and northern approaches".
9. What does the author suggest is the most important part of the review? Why?      The author suggests that the important part of the review is  The offshore area from Darwin west to the Pilbara is one of the greatest resource-rich areas anywhere on the planet because it abuts a part of Australia that is all but depopulated and without onshore infrastructure, including military infrastructure.
10. What does having a stronger military presence in the north of Australia do for the future? More or less conflict? Why?                                                                Having a stronger military presence in the north of Australia would be real dynamic driving this move is a need to support the US military presence in the region against the challenge of China's militarisation, and to put our own forces nearer the action should any nastiness take place. There doesn't necessarily mean that there would be more conflict; it would probably be there just for defence should any nastiness take place.
11. How is China leading an arms race in the Asia Pacific?                                       China is getting ready and well prepared; it is far ahead of Australia in terms of organisation for just in case of anything bad. China now deploys the largest fleet of attack submarines in the world. Australia's premier strategic analyst, Ross Babbage, has written of the fact that China has commissioned more than 40 new subs since 1995, and has nearly 500 fourth-generation fighter-bombers now in service. He cites China's first aircraft carrier, a succession of advanced stealth combat aircraft and a range of extremely sophisticated missile systems and huge numbers of missiles.
12. In 2008, what did Rudd predict for military spending in the region?                     Rudd said Australia needed to be prepared for "huge increases in military spending" here in our own region. He predicts a substantial arms build-up over time.
13. How did Brendan Nelson and Malcolm Turnbull get it wrong regarding China and Rudd get it right?                                                                                                The Liberals under Brendan Nelson and Malcolm Turnbull consistently got China wrong. Turnbull, as opposition leader, said of the white paper that it made no sense for Australia to base its long-term strategic policy on the highly contentious proposition that we are on an inevitable collision course with a militarily aggressive China; and Rudd got it right because he had a better relationship and understood the problem more than the other two did.
14. What does Australia seek to do with China?                                                 Australia seeks to become just like China; it wants to catch up with China and their organizations need to be better to do that.