Geostrategic Importance of Indian Ocean

Geostrategic Importance of Indian Ocean The Indian ocean region had become the strategic heartland of the 21st century, dislodging Europe and North East Asia which adorned this position in the 20th centurythe developments in the Indian Ocean region were contributing to the advent of a less Western centric and a more multi-polar world. -Donald L. Berlin, Head of Security Studies, Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies, Honolulu, Hawaii The Growing Importance of IOR The Indian Ocean has emerged as a critical maritime space in the Asia-Pacific littoral in view of the transformed strategic, security and economic significance of the region. The Indo-Asia-Pacific region is the greatest maritime-littoral space that has the largest concentration of population, resources, developing economies, congested sea lanes, and contested territorial spaces. It is thus significant in a geo-political, geo-economic and geo-strategic sense  [1]  . The Indian Ocean is home to many choke points, such as the Straits of Hormuz, Straits of Malacca, Lombok and the Sunda Straits. Any disruption in traffic flow through these points can have disastrous consequences. The disruption of energy flows in particular is a considerable security concern for littoral states, as a majority of their energy lifelines are sea-based. Since energy is critical in influencing the geo-political strategies of a nation, any turbulence in its supply has serious security consequences. Given the spiraling demand for energy from India, China and Japan, it is inevitable that the sea lines of communication (SLOCs) and choke points of the region have become strategically important for these countries that they are extremely sensitive to their security  [2]  . The Indian Ocean and the states on its littoral are of significant and growing importance. The region contains 1/3 of the worlds population, 25% of its landmass, 40% of the worlds oil and gas reserves. It is the locus of important international sea lines of communication (SLOCs). The region is home to most of the worlds Muslim population as well as India, one of the worlds likely rising powers. The Indian Ocean also is home to the worlds two newest nuclear weapons states, India and Pakistan, as well as Iran, which most observers believe has a robust program to acquire nuclear weapons  [3]  . The Oil Factor The Indian Ocean has seen intense maritime activity for the past 600 years, primarily for trade. While centuries ago, the motivation was for silk and spices, today it is for oil. Persian Gulf contains 65 per cent of the worlds proven reserves and accounts for more than half of the worlds oil exports and almost all of Asia-Pacifics imports. Due to growth in global economy the world wide demand for oil imports from the gulf is expected to grow and this fact is most critical while considering geo strategic significance of Indian Ocean. Despite efforts by nations to diversify sources, disruption of oil supplies is bound to impact severely on national economies leading to inflation and widespread unemployment. The US, Europe, China, Japan, India and most of Southeast Asian nations  are heavily reliant on oil from the Gulf. In his State of the Union address in Feb 2006, President Bush said that the nation was addicted to oil. U.S. gross oil imports from the Persian Gulf were 2.2 million bbl/d during 2006, accounting for 17 percent of the US total net oil imports  [4]  . The importance of energy to India, China and Japan is also extensive. At current levels of consumption, the oil import dependence of India is expected to reach 82.2 percent by 2010 and 91.6 percent by 2020. In the case of China it will be 61 percent and 76.9 percent, while for rest of South Asia it will be 95.1 percent and 96.1 percent respectively  [5]  . Sea Lines of Communications(SLOCs) The economic development of a state is closely linked to its trade and energy supply. Since most of the trade of the Indian Ocean littorals and the South Asian states is seaborne, SLOCs form the lifeline of these countries. According to World Bank estimates, in 1999 the world seaborne trade was pegged at 21,480 billion ton-miles; it is expected to reach 35,000 billion ton-miles in 2010, and 41,800 billion ton-miles in 2014. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Report, Review of Maritime Transport 2000, notes that world sea-based trade recorded its fourteenth consecutive annual increase, and Asias share of imports and exports was 26.1% and 18.8 % respectively  [6]  . To a military analyst, the SLOCs are related to the maritime instruments of power, and maritime geography becomes the pivot on which forces must be deployed. To a politician, on the other hand, SLOCs signify the state of relations with countries located along the sea route traversed, while for an economist it is just the shortest and most economical travel distance between two destinations. Similarly, for some nations multilateral cooperation on SLOC security may mean a perceived intrusion into aspects of sovereignty. Thus the security of sea lanes requires comprehensive strategies encompassing differing perceptions and national interests of concerned states  [7]  . The Indian Ocean is home to important SLOCs and maritime choke points. A large volume of international long haul maritime cargo from the Persian Gulf, Africa and Europe transits through this ocean. Some of the primary items transported are energy products mainly oil and gas. Disruption in energy lifelines can also arise from patterns of trade flows. Imports to South Asia from West Asia utilize the Strait of Hormuz. According to EIA estimates, the Strait recorded a transit volume of 15.4 million barrels of oil per day in 1998. Closure of the Strait of Hormuz practically cuts off Gulf supplies to the East altogether and also affects the West considerably. Similarly, the closure of the Straits of Malacca, through which nearly 9.4 million barrels of oil per day flow (according to the EIA), can seriously threaten the economies of Southeast Asia and the energy intensive economies of China and Japan. Due to the geostrategic importance of Malacca Straits to almost all the South and Southeas t Asian countries, any maritime contingency in this traffic congested region would have profound security ramifications. Since most of the trade of the Indian Ocean littorals and the South Asian states is seaborne, SLOCs are critical to these countries as well as to major energy consuming nations such as US, Europe, China and Japan. Exports from West Asia utilize the Strait of Hormuz. Equally strategically located are the eastern straits, Malacca, Sunda and Lombok-Makasser. One-third of the worlds trade and almost all of East Asias oil amounting nearly to 9.4 million barrels of oil per day pass through these straits. Protection of the sea-routes through the Indian Ocean becomes a strategic priority for many states. America thus has maintained a massive military presence in the region, poised to do whatever necessary to maintain the choke points and the flow of regions essential energy supplies to the rest of the world. The stakes are so high that Pentagon has now drawn up plans to annihilate Irans military capability in three days  [8]  . Strategic Importance of IOR for Extra Regional Forces United States of America. For almost 200 years the British exercised predominant military power in the Indian Ocean by establishing bases at key choke points and along critical sea lines. In the 1960s however British Government decided to drastically cut the British presence east of Suez. During the succeeding years the Indian Ocean became a distinct area attracting international attention due to inter and intra state instabilities in the states bordering the region , prominent being the Iran-Iraq war. In reaction to this instability both the superpowers started deploying naval forces on a regular basis in the Indian Ocean to ensure their energy security  [9]  . The dramatic event of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, led to US establishing its naval supremacy in the Indian Ocean to react quickly to a situation threatening access to the oil resources in the region. This was the beginning of the so called super power rivalry in the IOR. Successive US administrations have followed u p these developments with a vigorous search for facilities across Indian Ocean and have met with considerable success in getting such facilities in Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia , Kenya and Singapore. Their base in Diego Garcia is however the key element in providing the US capability to act at relatively short notice in the region  [10]  . By the end of 1980 US established a Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF) at Diego Garcia. On 01 Jan 83 RDJTF was converted into full fledged strategic command and was named the Central Command (CENTCOM). Hundreds of B 52 bomber flights were flown by US from this base during 1990-91 war against Iraq  [11]  . Russia. The initial deployment of Soviet Navy in the Indian Ocean was governed by need for a reciprocal arrangement with littoral states that would assist its attempt to break through Western containment of its long southern flank. Soviets developed their facilities in Ethiopia and South Yemen close to Bab-al- Mandeb  [12]  . In 1979 the Soviets signed an agreement with Vietnam for a 25 year lease of base at Cam Ranh Bay close to Malacca straits. Russian government continued the lease of Cam Ranh Bay primarily for SIGINT activities in South China Sea. At the end of 25 year period, Russia decided to withdraw from Cam Ranh Bay. Its presence in other erstwhile bases is also on the decline. Australia. Vital to Australias economic well being is the security of maritime trade, particularly in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. The worlds principal trading blocs, USA, EU, Japan/Korea/China/East Asia, comprise mercantile trading nations dependent on Middle East oil to sustain their economies. Australias economy is tied to these principal trading blocs  [13]  . Besides straddling vital sea-lines for naval and commercial mobility Southeast Asia has always provided Australia the strategic defence-in-depth for its security. Post-Cold War, Australia rushed to forge new security bonds in the sub region to augment its existing Five-Power Defence Agreement (FPDA) with Malaysia and Singapore. This caused apprehensions, but its proactive stance and especially its leadership role during the 1999 East-Timor crises  demonstrated a commitment to the sub-region. However, the perception of Australias pro-West character since the beginning of the 20th century has led to Islamic fun damentalists targeting its interests. Its interests thus converge with that of other concerned powers to combat non-state maritime threats in Southeast Asia. Japan. Japans proactive role in Southeast Asia is vital for its global status and economic interests, since the sub-region is the source and transit of its energy lifeline. Primarily due to this reason, it is averse to Chinese domination in the South China Sea  [14]  . Despite its potent maritime forces however, Japan has been unable to assist the sub-region to secure the sea-lines against nontraditional threats due to the constraint posed by Article 9 of Japanese Constitution, which does not permit its military to have a collective security arrangement. Japans commitment to Southeast Asia has thus been limited to financial and technological assistance for navigational safety and prevention of pollution. Japan is now actively considering a Constitutional review to break free from the legal handicap, including in terms of collective-security. This would make Japan more militarily assertive and enable it to safeguard its vital security interests in Southeast Asia. Natural Resource Wealth The Indian Ocean is known to contain natural resources, the significance of which has yet to be fully determined  [15]  . Other than the oil in the gulf, the Indian Ocean holds 65 per cent and 31 per cent of worlds strategic raw minerals and gas respectively. Large occurrences of hydrocarbons are being trapped in the offshore deep bedrocks of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and Australia. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and deep sea polymetallic nodules are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The Bay of Bengal is known to hold an immense wealth of resources in terms of fossil fuels, minerals and fish stocks. The discoveries of huge gas reserves in the Krishna-Godavari basin has added to the known potential of the area. The AN island chain itself is known to bear substantial hydrocarbon reserves. It is only a matter of time that offshore platforms, similar to those at the Bombay High, would sprout in these waters. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from   Russia,  Japan,  South Korea, and  Taiwan  also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for  shrimp  and  tuna. The endangered marine species include the  dugong,  seals,  turtles, and  whales  [16]  .

How War Is Necessary Essay

War has been with mankind for many millenniums. The reasons for wars in mankind’s history have all been various, however one big reason for war is that countries want to grow bigger, by taking over one another. Throughout history, rulers would not be satisfied with the amount of land that they had or wanted to spread their beliefs around the world. So, they did it by trying to take over others. However, some didn’t want to give up their land or change, so they fought. Fighting these wars are, however, necessary no matter what people believe. This is because fighting them and winning will stop them from controlling others. Some wars that stopped countries from controlling others are the second world war, the war in Vietnam, and the Revolutionary war. However, there are claims that the Vietnam war could’ve been avoided, but there would’ve been consequences for going to war. War is necessary because it’s a way to try to stop countries from dominating o ver others and controlling them. There are many ways that war has stopped countries from controlling one another. Firstly, the Vietnamese war was necessary because, the war would’ve stopped the spreading of communism to neighboring asian countries, also known as the â€Å"domino theory†. The idea of communism started with the election of Ho Chi Minh in North Vietnam. Kennedy wasn’t concerned with Vietnam until Lyndon B Johnson called Ngo Dinh Diem the â€Å"Winston Churchill of Asia† because, Diem was the only one trying to resist the communists and Johnson promised to help him. Noam Chomsky, a US philosopher, stated that if a country better its economy due to communism, neighboring countries would try to improve their economy using communism, as seen when China influenced North Vietnam. Had communism been successfully spread to South Vietnam, then Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. Also, other countries would’ve lost faith in the US for not protecting S.Vietnam in their time of need. This shows that the US needed to fight this war to stop the communistic ideals from spreading to countries and to keep the confidence of other countries around the world, so that they could help the US when the US needs them. The second world war as necessary becau se, it showed how the world responds to a fascist ruler controlling a major country, trying to claim the world. It also showed how the US would react when attacked by another major country. Hitler want to create a â€Å"master race†, which was blonde-haired, blue-eyed people. So when he came into power, he had convinced the german people that jewish people were less than humans and should be treated as such. Thus he started taking over various countries in Europe and started killing jewish people to start his plan. While that was happening, the US was maintaining neutrality and supplying Britain, Russia, and China with weapons until the japanese attacked pearl harbor on December 1941. The US then declared war on Japan and fought in the Pacific theater until August 15th, 1945. Had the axis powers won World War II, North America and South America would be surrounded by dictators ready to destroy democracy and take over the world. Also, Hitler’s plan would’ve proba bly been completed and the world would’ve been comprised of blonde, blue-eyed people. However, the war told us that when we are concerned with individualism, we become selfish and corrupted or under the influence of corrupted selfish nations. This war was needed because, when one tries to dominate and take over another country, we become blinded and end falling. We need teamwork to stay strong in the world. Finally, the Revolutionary War was necessary because, it allowed rights normally granted by the king, to be for every single individual. It also sparked other revolutions, along with stopping Britian from controlling the colonies. When the French Indian War concluded, King George III made the Proclamation of 1763, which stated that no colonists may settle west of the Appalachian and anyone other than Indians there had to move from the area. The Boston Massacre also brought them closer to the revolution, because British soldiers killed 5 civilians for calling them names. The Stamp Act of 1765, Townshend Act of 1767, and the Tea Act of 1773, were all attempt of Britian to try and control the colonies in North America. However after the war, the Declaration of Independence was signed and Britian let the colonies rule themselves. With this newfound freedom, the colonists were allowed to trade with anyone they wanted, colonize past the Appalachian Mountains, set up a new government and th e British moved out of the colonies. Had the colonists lost the war, the US would probably still be under British rule to this day. Even with all this evidence that war is necessary, people still see war as a terrible thing. Going back to the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese War could’ve been avoided because the US could’ve stayed neutral and let the problem in Vietnam blow over, instead of sacrificing 50,000 men. The war would’ve been avoided and Vietnam would’ve became a communist country along with possibly, part of Asia. Robert McNamara, defense chief under John F Kennedy and Lyndon B Johnson, says that he doubted Vietnam would let China or Russia use them as a base, but that’s the US had feared at the time. The US had feared that China or Russia would use them as a base they could use to control more parts of Asia. The Vietnamese could’ve probably fought the war themselves and probably resisted the communistic ways of China and/or Russia. The belief about if war is needed in the world or not cuts both ways. Either that it helps bring everlasting peace in the world closer or it’s useless and all it does is kill off innocent people. War is a big thing that stops countries from trying to gain total global domination or keeping them at bay until they give up. Until that happens, there will be allies who will attack at a moments notice when a country is trying to bite off more than it can chew.There are so many more examples of how war is necessary in the world that this would be a lot longer than it is already. The concept of war may seem bad, but in the end, it’s all worth it.

What Is the Difference Between Climate and Weather

Weather is not the same as climate, although the two are related.  The saying  Climate is what we expect, and weather is what we get  is a  popular saying that describes their relationship.   Weather is what we get because its how the  atmosphere is behaving now or will behave in the short-term (in the hours and days ahead). On the other hand, climate tells us how the atmosphere tends to behave over long periods of time (months, seasons, and years). It does this based on weathers day-to-day behavior over a standard period of 30 years. This is why climate is described as what we expect in the above quote. So in a nutshell, the main difference between weather and climate is time. Weather Is Day-to-Day Conditions Weather includes sunshine, cloudiness, rain, snow, temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, winds, severe weather, the approach of a cold or warm front, heat waves, lightning strikes, and a whole lot more. Weather is communicated to us through weather forecasts. Climate Is Weather Trends Over Long Periods of Time   Climate also includes many of the above-mentioned weather conditions--but rather than looking at these daily or weekly,  their measurements are averaged over months and  years. So, instead of telling us how many days this week Orlando, Florida had sunny skies, climate data will tell us on average how many sunny days Orlando experiences per year, how many inches of snow it generally gets during the winter season, or when the first frost occurs so farmers will know when to seed their orange orchards. Climate is communicated to us through weather patterns (El Nià ±o/La Nià ±a, etc.) and seasonal outlooks. Weather vs. Climate Quiz To help make the distinction between weather and climate  even more clear, consider the below statements and whether each deals with weather or climate.   Weather Climate Todays high was 10 degrees hotter than normal. x Today feels so much hotter than yesterday. x Heavy thunderstorms are expected to move through the area this evening. x New York sees a White Christmas 75 percent of the time. x Ive lived here for 15 years and Ive never seen flooding like this. x Forecasting Weather vs.  Predicting Climate Weve explored how weather differs from climate, but what about differences in predicting the two? Meteorologists actually use similar tools, known as models, for both.   The models used to forecast weather incorporate air pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind observations to produce the best estimate of the atmospheres future conditions. A weather forecaster then looks at this model output data and  adds in his personal forecasting know-how  is able to figure  out the most likely  scenario. Unlike weather forecast models, climate models cannot use observations because future conditions arent known yet.  Instead, climate predictions are made using global  climate models that simulate how our atmosphere, oceans, and land surfaces might interact.

African Americans And The Civil Rights Movement - 1623 Words

African Americans were brought to America during the colonial days by Britain, before the civil war, as slaves. They were the foundation of slave economy, being auctioned off and sold, with no thought given to their opinions, families, or lives. Throughout American history, African Americans have slowly fought their way towards where they are today. Their fight has developed into the Civil Rights Movement in the 1900s. Many historians would agree that the start of the Civil Rights Movement happened early in the 1940’s as approximately two million African Americans migrated North and West, as well as one million moving from farms into urban landscapes in the South. In the 1950s and 1960s, the movement was fighting in various arenas: the streets, the workplaces, and the courtrooms. The de jure of segregation in the South and oppression were brought down through these fights and through the international spotlight. Throughout the movement, there was a general sense of unity and p urpose highlighting their successes. But as with all of human history, nobody fights exactly the same war. This essay will highlight the complex tensions and sometimes divisions along gender, class, and ideological lines within the Civil Rights Movement in the 50’s and 60’s. Each part of America had their own way of working with African Americans. To state the obvious, the South kept them oppressed and as a low-wage labor source as long as possible, and in the North a relatively free class wasShow MoreRelatedThe African-American Civil Rights Movement1295 Words   |  5 Pages The African-American Civil Rights Movement is arguably the largest and most successful push towards toward change in American history. The movement was influenced by some of the biggest figures in American history as well, led by Martin Luther King Jr. and influenced by others such as president Kennedy and Johnson. Amongst the numerous protests and powerful speeches during the Civil Rights Movement perhaps the most prominent is the series of three marches in 1965 known today as the â€Å"Selma to Montgomery†Read MoreThe African American Civil Right Movement1040 Words   |  5 PagesThe African American Civil right movement in the late 1950’s and throughout the 1960â €™s was a powerful fight for equal opportunities to the basic rights and privileges outlined by the US government. During this movement thousands of African American individuals and those who believed in the power of the movement, battled against the piercing white supremacy through various tactics including grass root movements. The grass root movements in the 60’s was characterized by organizations of individualsRead MoreThe African American Civil Rights Movement1450 Words   |  6 PagesThe African American civil rights movement was a long journey for African American nationwide. 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He met with Father Grouppi*, but he did not support him and his followers. For a long time, he had not appreciated the African American civil rights movement. Moreover, he would think that this movement aggravates the racial segreg ation in societyRead MoreAfrican American Civil Rights Movement1594 Words   |  7 Pagesblack power movement in American Civil Rights Movement. Violence is a physical force intended to hurt someone. Politics is a platform where the wellbeing is thought for the citizens and in America the politics and laws have been placed in order for the betterment of the American citizens. 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For hundreds of years African Americans fought for their civil rights, desegregation, and basic human rights. One significant movement in history that was major for the Civil Rights Movement