Here Is a Summary of the Materials We Read at the K-SEC Meeting on March 7, 2016

K-SEC

Meeting Summary

March 7, 2016

Here is a summary of the materials we read at the K-SEC meeting on March 7, 2016.

Attendees (in ABC order):

Ishikuro, Kotake, Nishimura, Nishiwaki, Sadayasu, Sekiguchi, Tomozawa, Tsurumoto, Umemura (Total of 9)

Materials read:

PACOM Harris: U.S. Would Ignore A ‘Destabilizing’ Chinese South China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone - Kotake

This is from the US Naval Institute News dated February 26, 2016 and written Sam LaGrone

A Chinese Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the South China Sea that would ratchet up regional tensions should be ignored by U.S. forces said Adm. Harry Harris, commander of U.S. Pacific Command during his press conference at the Pentagon on Thursday. Secretary of State Kerry askedChina earlier not to declare an ADIZ over the South China Sea.

In the last several weeks, new satellite imagery has revealed new Chinese military kit on its holdings in the Paracel Islands near Vietnam and artificial islands in the Spratlys close to the Philippines. They have reclaimed almost 3,000 acres of military bases in the South China Sea.HQ-9 anti-air warfare missiles were deployed on Woody Island in the Paracels earlier this month and the Shenyang J-11 were also spotted in the region. A persistent concern behind all of the reclamation, militarization and the rhetoric from Beijing indicates possibility of the declaration of a Chinese ADIZ over the South China Sea.

An ADIZ could pair with expansive territorial claims China has made in the South China Sea and give Beijing more influence in the region that could bleed over to more control of the economic flow through the region.

The U.S. military patrols, air and maritime, in the South China Sea haven’t really changed. We have a consistent presence in the Western Pacific that we have had that for decades.”

“Let’s give China a chance here and see if they’ll opt for a more stabilizing less tense situation or whether they’ll opt to be a provocative and destabilizing influence.” After months of deliberation, the U.S. has sent a guided missile destroyer within 12 nautical miles of a Chinese artificial island in the South China Sea in a move that practically rejects Chinese claims to the reclaimed reefs. Late Monday USS Lassen (DDG-82) came within 12 miles of the reclaimed reefs on October 27, 2015

2. Bio series – Donald Trump

We read a bio,from Wikipedia, of the 2016 U.S. Presidential candidate from the Republican Party, Donald Trump. As a presidential candidate, Trump is an extremely unorthodox and controversial person.

Donald John Trump was born on June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York, as the fourth of five children of Frederick C. and Mary MacLeod Trump. Frederick was a builder and real estate developer covering Queens, Staten Island and Brooklyn area. Donald was an energetic and assertive child. His parents sent him to the New York Military Academy at age 13 hoping the discipline of the school would channel his energy in a positive manner. He also finished the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics in 1968.

Under the guidance of his father, Trump then started a career in the real estate business but his personal goals were much grander than his father’s.After he was given the control of the company (1971), he embarked on and landed major projects including the Grand Hyatt (1980), Trump Tower on 5th Avenue (1982), the Taj Mahal at Atlantic City (1990). Other land mark properties he acquired or built,among many others, include the T rump Parc (formerly Barbizon) on Central Park, Television City, Plaza Hotel, etc.

However, with the decline in the real estate market in 1990, he experienced severefinancial problems, but he climbed back from nearly $900 million in the red to a reported worth of close to $2 billion by 1997.

Amidst his personal upheavals (his divorces and remarriages), Trump tried to seek the Reform Party's nomination for the U.S. Presidential race of 2000for the first time but decided to withdraw. In 2012, Trumppublicly announced he was considering running for president again. But, he decided not to again (“Birther” issue concerning Obama).

On June 16, 2015, Trump announced that he would run for President this time on the Republican ticket. In his announcement, he said, "we are going to make our country great again and I will be the greatest President that God ever created.”

Since then, in various interviews and debates with other Republican candidates, he has made many remarks that are considered both derogatory and controversial, alienating many Americans and foreigners. Some of his comments include one on John McCain (about his reputation as military hero), Mexican border wall, Muslims, U.S. military costs related to Germany, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Korea, etc.

Despite these and many other controversial remarks, as of this date, he still enjoys a significant lead over his rival candidates as of this date (March 2016)..

C. Role assignment for March 21, 2016

Nishimura

Umemura