in syria and also in afghan is town. so if we go further, i mean germany kept out of iraq in 2003 and of libya and 2011. but many western countries led to by the united states, intervened there in a very, a brutal way, which was not backed by international law. and so we have to see that we get out of those double standards and look at those things as they are. and what kind of reaction do you expect to these statements by the german chancellor from the public? i mean, does it look like german tax pay them vote as a concerned that ukraine is allegedly being used as an excuse to dig into that as well in the and the whole country who are germany is losing the economy is losing ground in germany and is looking to works, shifts of employment to the u. s. to china and to other countries with

a better circumstances in terms of energy, prohibition. and this is what hurts the whole country. so it's not only the citizens that are being heard, it's the economy that is being heard is also the policy options of german policy. foreign policy, which are being limited by our actions that are not in the interest of germany itself. many thanks to joins on the product line. rainer wealth with vice president of the various a party, appreciate it. thank you. and we appreciate you and your time here in our to international thanks for joining us. ah ah

with ah hello, i'm manila chan. you are tuned into modus operandi there show that explores the

methods and patterns of u. s. foreign policy all around the world, and the history that reverberates in our lives. to date. this week we'll delve into asia since the early 20th century, following the korean war, asia has always been the land. the united states has found to be an enigma, the continent steeped in thousands of years of culture and regional disputes. it's modern politics, influenced by experiences of the past. history is inescapable. in contemporary asia will america's new economic plan for the region create new hostilities among asian neighbors. and biden's moves in the pacific happening with the u. ukraine conflict in its backdrop, china refusing to join the west in sanctions against russia. the chinese government recently revealing that over the past 5 months in 2022 trade between russia and

china, have actually spike 20 percent year over year, bucking the u. s. as stated, goals of isolating and weakening the federation both economically and militarily. we'll discuss history's lessons learned by asian leaders and the apparent economic blowback experienced by western states who have joined the u. s. in its so called comprehensive sanctions against moscow. all right, let's get into the m o. ah, you as president joe biden, fresh from what he called a successful trip to the region, signing a dozen asians to what is tantamount to a re brand of the t p. p. the obama era, trans pacific partnership laid to waste by the trump administration. the new i path indo pacific economic framework brings a dozen asian pacific states, closer to america's orbit, australia, new zealand, brunei, india, indonesia,

malaysia, the philippines, japan, south korea, singapore, thailand and vietnam. but critics say, this brings the u. s. right to china's doorstep, and in many ways creates the pacific encirclement of the russian federation. now, noticeably absent from i path the tiny, landlocked country of louse, a nation of just around 7 and a half 1000000 people. and was the victim of an aggressive and secret bombing campaign by the u. s. cia in the 1964, nearly a decade. for us, presidents and 2 parties, louse was bombarded by a deadly shower of cluster bombs. now banned by the un and a deluge of chemical or besides like agent orange. as america sought to route out north vietnamese fighters during the vietnam war. louse though, was never

a party to the war. and what some say was misled by the kennedy administration in their intent to day more than half a century later, the u. s. has done very little to clean up the fields still littered by unexploded ordinances that kill and maim mostly children every single day. but russia for decades has sent aid and d mining experts to louse, to help clear uninhabitable yet fertile land. china growing its economic influence in the country with expanding business investments, both in the government and private sectors. now, a deal between moscow indian john to build a new airport in the southeast asian country in which a portion will be used by russia's military. could. america's ugly history in laos be the reason the country was left out by biden in his new i path. and

joining us now is professor peter couldn't act author of beyond the laboratory scientist as political activists in 19 thirty's america. he's also the director of nuclear studies at the institute of, excuse me, the director of nuclear studies institute at the american university are a professor connect, thank you for joining us on this rarely discussed the subject 1st. last holds the sad and dubious title of the world's most heavily bombed country on earth. now this came at the hands of the u. s. c. i a no known today. now we call it the secret war . it's not so secret any more. the u. s. has acknowledged it's role in the country . president obama was the 1st sitting u. s. president to visit the country. he pledged a few $1000000.00 to the u. x o clearance efforts. but studies show that at this rate clearing the 40 percent of

laos which was uninhabitable due either to an agent orange or unexploded ordinances, it would take more than a 100 years to clear up. so why has the u. s. not stepped up efforts to clean up the mess it created. the us bombing policy toward laos was truly unconscionable. yeah, just guys dropped something like 270000000 cluster bombs, about 18000000. cluster bombs remain unexploded. unexploded ordnance. so it takes an enormous effort to clean that up. we're still trying to clean up, or the unexploded ordnance in vietnam. it takes a long time and a serious commitment. china and russia have both had economic and to some extent military progress allows. and as part of that, they've had to help louse with cleaning up some of this unexploded ordnance and the

effect that has had a number of people who are killed and maimed every year in laos is still astronomical. the effect that is having on the economy is still devastating. as you said, 40 percent of the country is effectively uninhabitable. but even the farming areas are badly affected, you can make a direct correlation with the areas where the cluster bombs remain. and the agent arns was used and the poverty rate in laos. so this is one of the kind of an effects of american war in southeast asia that went on for a very long time. some of it was secret. some of it was overt american scientists

were mobilized against what they called you as chemical warfare in southeast asia at that time. and the u. s. has not had much interest in helping clean this up, especially allows, because louse remains firmly in the russia, china camp. in i says did begin cleaning up the unexploded ordnance or a helping out in vietnam around 2015. and that was because the u. s. had a plan to pull vietnam into the american orbit and has been somewhat successful. we now the vietnam has a contentious relationship with china. so the us thinking strategically geopolitically decided to reach out to vietnam more and has had a mixed success in doing so. now with louse louse still maintains military ties to russia. i economic ties to china is part of the belt road

initiative. the new china allows railway that opened in december and transports both goods and people at very, very high speeds where the technologies have compatible with chinese best technology. and we know that while the united states has no high speed railway, china leads the world in high speed railway. and so they've got, this is very impressive railway between china allows as part of china's economic development approach and about that rail professor at like he said, china in december of 2021 has completed this 5 year rail project from their unit province into laos as capital city of van john, the $6000000.00 project, is a game changer for the landlocked country which can shift it's position theoretically

in asia to becoming basically a transport hub which could boost torres and boost the economy more broadly. now, given the investment by china and the military cooperation from russia, do you believe this might be why president biden laughed louse out of the new i path, whereas he invited vietnam? yes, i think clearly. louse is not friend, a friend of the united states. that even vietnam has not gone along with the sanctions against russia. and singapore has japan, has south korea has a but a lot of asia is still hedging his bet. and that's partly because not only do they got a critical of u. s. hypocrisy and supporting ukraine. not that support ukraine is the wrong thing, but the u. s. has been involved in its own wars and its own aggression and the

people in that region, no. that history. certainly the people in vietnam know that history human. now how many vietnamese v were killed in that war. when robert mcnamara came into my class, he said that he accepts a 3800000 vietnamese died in the war 3800000. and sam mcnamara is easily consider the architect of that war. so the vietnamese know that history, the lay oceans, know that history, the cambodians, know that history and others know it also. so it's not so easy for the united states is simply convinced these people to make this shift. they align with the united states, and the other factor of the major factor is that china has greater trade relations with all of these countries than the united states does. for the united states is fighting an uphill battle and trying to win these southeast asian countries away

from china and to the american orbit. it's not going to work. it's not happening, but they want, they don't want to be forced to make a choice between china and the united states. and so they're going to play both sides of this is not going to work. the united states, the countries that are working with united states, like south korea and japan have both have right wing governments. now. the new south korean yoon government is a very right wing government. and they're happy to support us initiatives and to try to isolate and really to contain china. but most of the asian countries are not doing so. and you look at india, for example, the united states efforts toward winning india. should you as side when it, what you see, what's happening with india increasing as purchase of russian oil, despite u. s. pressures, despite u. s. threats,

as well as india's dependence on russian arms. and so this strategy most of the world does not want to have to choose between the united states and china, or the united states and russia. and so the u. s. policy, this idea about the united states being back, which is the the bite and mantra and look at what biden has done. he came into office and surrounded himself with hawkish right wing advisors, 16 of whom are come from the center for new american security and others like blinking our stay, ours. secretary of state, you know, supported the afghan, the invasion of iraq, the invasion of libya, the bombing syria ran so that the people around the world know who these people are and what they represent. and they see what the u. s. strategy is toward russia also to use a situation that this war as quickly as possible,

but to use it to weaken russia, you're absolutely spot on professor spot on on that. and this brings up a lot of fears that the u. s. his position on se asia may create a balkan ization of that region just like we saw in eastern europe. so, you know, the u. i should probably tread lightly. i, when we're on the doorstep of china, professor peter, could nick always appreciate your expert insight. thank you. so much for joining us today. i to it even though and when we return, we'll be exploring china's growing economic might and their global development cooperation. spanning asia and africa is their strategic ambiguity on the matter of ukraine. a reflection of china's priorities said tight, we'll be right back. ah,

ah nozzle you. why did easy while furnace us? ah ha, we're here, it's a f one slide yet if south. yeah. thrash with flipping. you go cause them. but, you know, watch them up all mutable. upright beat them. is emily up full of goody of some? she'll have you. she's kim's room to sort video to watch the ela, a bill? yes, my thought, or to an invalid. again, the youth fortune. pretty up my bill. at about 3000000 after search

financial ah ah, china for its part as a permanent member on the un security council, abstained from a vote to condemn russia for its military action in ukraine. instead, president, she's in ping has called for maximum restraint from western allies in a joint. virtual meeting between he and german chancellor, olaf schultz and french president emanuel mac crone. in early march of this year, he cautioned the west in a rebuke of their sanctions against russia, calling them illegal and warned of what the sanctions would do to global supply

chains, global finance, and energy supplies. well, fast a few months into the conflict and subsequent sanctions president, she has proven to be the world's best prognosticator. today, the u. s. and it's e u partners in sanctions against russia, are all seeing inflation skyrocket above 8 percent. prices of gasoline, all in the u. s hitting all time record highs. some places like in california, seen prices nearly at $10.00 per gallon. meanwhile, developing countries in africa are expected to see worsening food shortages in the coming months as grain and fertilizer shipments from russia and ukraine are stifled due to western sanctions. but as you recently heard, a resigned white house press secretary gen saki, infamously said, regarding this economic blow back, resulting from the sanctions. she said, we got to pay for our values while given the results of these sanctions. what then

are america's values when the rest of the planet is being harmed by these actions? and joining us from auckland, new zealand is james bradley. he is the author of the china mirage, the hidden history of american disaster in asia. mister bradley, thank you so much for joining us today, especially with the time difference. first, you know, there are a lot of political advisors out there in china observing the u. s. response to ukraine. now, despite the economic blow back, the whole world is experiencing, you know, this, this blow back from these western sanctions. it appears the u. s. is still doubling down. it's also encouraging germany to tamp down. you know, it's reliance on russian natural gas exports to the harm of its own economy. what do you think china sitting back there and making of all of this, you know,

in terms of what is trying to make in of the united states, shooting itself in the foot. what is china making of germany and italy and, and the e u. a shooting themselves in the head. china can't believe it's good luck. every countries want to good as want a good run to china. after seeing the united states steel, steel, the foreign reserve of a sovereign country, russia. it's almost unbelievable to just like the truckers strike up in canada. once you learn that the dictator trudeau could get his hands into your bank account, they were closing bank accounts. so what is china think? i think china, i can't imagine what is wrong with washington. here i would say, so i think they're probably slightly amused, observing what's happening here in washington. now, as this pertains to taiwan,

when people make the comparison of taiwan and to china, as perhaps crimea to russia, are these fair comparisons to be made and, and what would the us response be? it, china withdraws taiwan, semi autonomous designation. the name of the book you mentioned that i wrote was called china murat. and it was called china mirage because that's how the united states seized china, not directly, but through a mirage. i'll give you the chinese view. we're looking at this aggressively, like china is going to seize a foreign country. the foreign country of taiwan. china is a very old guy, thousands of years old, and taiwan has been part of china or a for centuries. so china doesn't view it as an invasion of taiwan. they see that just like east germany and west germany knit together,

taiwan is going to knit together with the rest of ch, dana washington. and we can continue to pay taiwanese politicians to scream about it. but the knitting process continues. there are so many taiwanese, a, c, e o, 's living in china, overseeing their factories. it's crazy. so china's just taking the peaceful step by step process to re you and have to reunify with it and with its brother province. if the united states would like to start a war, then china would have to go to war. the idea that america is going to fight of war . well over there is just ridiculous when taiwan is right next to china. good luck with that one. yeah, it's about as far you and i are right now with you being in new zealand and me being in washington. now. china definitely has

a lot of business and economic ties all around the world. i mean, no one can deny that if the u. s. were to implement similar actions against china as they have done against russia in the form of sanctions. what would that look like and what would that do to global financial stability? you don't, my son was a little boy and his sister was small and they could push each other. but then as years went on, my son got bigger, my daughter would still push him and then she'd get it back. and i would say, don't oak, a big bear it sip simple as that. i mean, the fact that america's going to set a sanctioned china, then what's america going to do for product? this is america, make a toaster or a microwave, or a television power. people going to dress in america, any socks or underwear, or shirts made in america any more,

comparatively. so the idea of sanctioning china is just too crazy and the sanction gun is not working. look at cuba. will those sanctions went on on under john f. kennedy as at change cuba behavior? the sanctions on russia are shooting america in europe in the foot, as i said. so please, america don't hurt yourself any more by sanctioning china. right? the rising inflation, the crazy gas prices that we're experiencing here state side. and i imagine you're experiencing high prices down in new zealand as well. i mean, it feels like the u. s. actions so far had been inescapable anywhere in the world. so right now, you know, the, the u. s. record and involvement in these international hot wars and conflicts. ringback is really boating well with the, the younger generation of people right across the middle east, across asia,

across africa, or one might just say altogether the, the global south china doesn't have the same hawkish, stigma attached to it. how will the u. s. image globally impact the forthcoming future generations of world leaders as compared to china's what will this image shape the future of geo politics? i'm so glad you asked that. i'm an american and i, i, i big my country to, to do a pivot here and to clean up at zack, i mean, 20 years in afghanistan. and how did that turn out? i had tried to process this now when i was 21 years old. the afghani tree treated me so wonderfully. no, i'm serious. now, look at 20 years of wrath of american ravaged in afghanistan. hillary clinton said my war about going in the libya. how's that war turned out? there's slave market. there's women being bought and sold and slave market. in

libya, we've got to stop this confrontation. there is no reason there should be a war in ukraine, except that we poke the bear with missiles on my porch. i've got to open the door and react. there's going to be no war in that south china sea with taiwan. unless america takes aggressive action in the world is watching. i'm doing a series of podcasts on the bio labs in the ukraine. you know, the world is asking why would american bon anthrax production that's targeted at russian? why would they be in ukraine doing that? the united states has to come up with some words and get on the carpet here and defend itself. and one more war or one more set of sanctions. i'm not warning washington. i'm just saying, stop shooting yourself in the foot. everyone's got along memory and stealing. the

sovereign fought sovereign funds of another country is not going down very well. invading all these countries, one after another is not going down very well. the business of china is business and the business of america is war. and we have to make a chain. yeah, you're absolutely spot on. i mean, as far as your book at the title being, the china mirage i and the u. s. image probably permanently tarnished, at least for the next 2 generations to follow. we've got a long ways to go before america can repair its place in history. i think at james bradley, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to talk with us today about this very important object. thank you so much to be here. all right, that is going to do it for this weeks episode of modus operandi. there show that dig deep into foreign policy. i'm your host manila chan. thank you for tuning in.

we'll see you again next week to figure out the ammo. mm. with a california initial be one of club. not significant dealer post on a diaz can use to put value a new. what do you do or change? but you also were saddam a,

but i see the student both. there's no room you motivation says decent. you gumbo soup ah, ukraine bands, journalists for reporting focused phone, which has been locked down by k of the military. may wall a non t washing purge needs to some people being harassed with a killer being 1st to show up at the crime scene. that's what turkey has called washington's condolences over the deadly territory. it's stumbled for time for a blame on allegedly us fact kurdish with you as president gets friendly with chinese counterparts despite joe biden earlier pledging to act tough with.