Geo-Strategic Orbit

Napoleon Bonaparte said of China:
“Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world.”

And so, two hundred-plus years later China—and its impact on the Asia-Pacific             (A-P) region in general—is fulfilling Bonaparte’s prediction.

To be sure, the epicentre of the world is shifting from the Western-European and since the end of  World War Two, the American ‘model,’ which has developed into what is considered to be the ‘Vasco da Gama’ era, to a world that will be dominated by a Sino-driven A-P.  Australia will, due to its geographic location and its previous policy-making, be at the forefront of what will become a contested arena.  However, it will be the one that shapes Australia’s future.   This blog is not necessarily designed to gain monetary reward per se–although it is a registered business and consultancy is available–it is more, meant to offer information and analysis which observes and delineates a deeper view of what is happening geo-strategically, in the below mentioned (dot-point) categories.  Commentary is offered in support of greater transparency in the geo-strategic and  geo-political worlds and is offered through the prism of evidence-based argument.

This blog is premised upon, and underpinned by independent, informative and succinct analysis without fear or favour.  All analysis, whether tailored or general, is accompanied by erudite scholarly information and at times interpretation; and all aspects are informed and formed by a strong historical evidence-base.  The blog is secure in the knowledge that the new challenges that will be faced by the rise of China will alter the way things ‘were,’ to the way in which things will now have to ‘be.’  For Australia–and the West in general it is clear that times are changing, and thus, the ‘Vasco da Gama’ era is being heavily impacted upon.  What therefore, needs to happen is Australia must become more pro-active, or face being dragged along by others as the relevant power-stakes power-positioning; and preponderance unfolds.  As the A-P region becomes increasingly fractious, the time for Australia to understand that the ‘winds of war’ are blowing will become more urgent in the twenty-first century.  This  blog  will supply a continuous stream of information in order for this  understanding to gain ground in the public sphere as Australia in particular will into a war in the region.  Some of the cause for this to happen will be due to the Australian government misguided decision-making and some of it will be Australia being dragged into a war that has been created by others.

This blog as stipulated offers written and audio commentary on the ‘coming storm’ and said commentary will have, at its core, an understanding that unless foreign and domestic policies  become more cosmopolitan and articulate with regard to Australia–and its place in the region–there will be a war in the A-P, in which Australia, will be completely and thoroughly, immersed. Geo-strategic and geo-political independent comment and assessment/s are within the following areas (although when and where necessary other issues will be  addressed such as Australian  and/or American domestic politic etc.):

• A-P regional geo-strategic and geo-political analyses;
• Asia-Pacific security/rise of China/rise of India;
• conflict forecasting and interpretation in the A-P region;
• terrorism in the region and the world;
• war studies; and
• foreign policy relevant to conflict.

All of the information contained in this blog is © Strobe Driver, and the link to my doctoral thesis can be found at:

https://primoapac01.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=UB_VITAL4502&context=L&vid=UB&lang=en_US&search_scope=UB_local_PC&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&isFrbr=true&tab=quicksearch&query=any,contains,why%20winning%20a%20war%20is%20no%20longer%20necessary&sortby=date&facet=frbrgroupid,include,119084357&mode=Basic&offset=0

Dr. Strobe Driver

Recent media commentary:

May, 2017

Winning Hostilities Without War: United  States- North Korea Machinations

http://www.e-ir.info/2017/05/30/winning-hostilities-without-war-united-states-north-korea-machinations/

Federation University: Cultural Enquiry and Research Group

Presentation:  ‘The Dragon is Swimming’: How China is following the West’s ‘model of expansionism’ in the South China Sea

 January, 2017

My latest article from December last year was  picked up by the Australian Herald http://www.australianherald.com/index.php/sid/249922993

December, 2016

War with China: Ascending Powers, Expansionism and the Use-of-Force

(modified for an Australian audience)

http://theaimn.com/war-china-ascending-powers-expansionism-use-force/

November, 2016

War with China: Ascending Powers, Expansionism and the Use-of-Force

http://www.e-ir.info/2016/11/22/war-with-china-ascending-powers-expansionism-and-the-use-of-force/

July, 2016

My article on the Bastille Day terrorist attack in France, as published on the Australian Independent Media Network

War in a public place: The Bastille Day attack,  the strategy and tactics of Insurgencies

http://theaimn.com/war-public-place-bastille-day-attack-strategy-tactics-insurgencies/

June, 2016

Blog comment re: Turkey

My latest article on the lease of the Port of Darwin to Chinese interests and the (possible) ramifications for Australia  from a geo-strategic perspective, and as published by the Australian Independent Media Network

Where fools rush in: The Leasing of the Port of Darwin and the Rise of China

http://theaimn.com/?s=where+fools+rush+in

June, 2016

An article on the rise of China, observing the PRC’s  move into Central Asia, and  as published by E-International Relations

Beyond the Asia-Pacific: China’s Next Geo-Strategic ‘Stepping Stone’

http://www.e-ir.info/2016/06/04/beyond-the-asia-pacific-chinas-next-geo-strategic-stepping-stone/

Feb, 2016

An article published by The Australian Independent Media Network, and authored by me, detailing the thrust of Western society and the way in which there is now a reaction to this by the Chinese; and the demands the USA will  make on Australia in the Asia-Pacific region in order to ‘balance’ this happening.

http://theaimn.com/the-road-to-perdition-australia-and-the-neoconservative-agenda/

Dec, 2015

My latest article which is a comment on the rise of China in the Asia-Pacific region and the difficulty, in this case Japan is having coming to terms with this factor – as did the British before them, the French before that, the Spanish prior to the French…the list goes on.

The article is entitled:  ‘The Impact of Industrial Revolutions: China’s Rise and the Decline of Japan’ can be found at

http://www.e-ir.info/2015/12/13/the-impact-of-industrial-revolutions-chinas-rise-and-the-decline-of-japan/