{"id":13658,"date":"2014-05-02T14:45:52","date_gmt":"2014-05-02T04:45:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/?p=13658"},"modified":"2014-05-05T06:34:56","modified_gmt":"2014-05-04T20:34:56","slug":"aspi-suggests-2may","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/aspi-suggests-2may\/","title":{"rendered":"ASPI suggests"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/p>\n Last week, President Obama wrapped up a much anticipated tour of Asia which covered\u00a0Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Philippines. The tour was\u00a0largely seen as an attempt to reassure friends and allies of the US rebalance. In the Philippines, President Obama and Philippines\u2019 President Aquino announced the signing of an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), the most significant part of which opens the door for rotations of US Marines on Filipino soil (full text of President Obama’s remarks at a joint press conference here<\/a>). For some historical context on US\u2013Philippines ties and a\u00a0run-down of how the EDCA augments previous agreements, I recommend Armando J. Heredia\u2019s article in USNI News<\/a>.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, CSIS Jakarta\u2019s Rizal Sukma wonders whether the EDCA will sideline ASEAN\u2019s normative order<\/a>. In his view, \u2018[t]he challenge for ASEAN\u2026is how to ensure that the realist order will not become a dominant feature of regional politics.\u2019<\/p>\n Sticking with Southeast Asia, the International Crisis Group has a newish report out on Myanmar\u2019s military<\/a>. The report explains the military\u2019s role in politics and economics, and outlines the ways in which it has adapted to the current transition to a \u2018semi-civilian administration\u2019.<\/p>\n Turning to Northeast Asia, Carnegie Endowment\u2019s Uri Dadush looks at why Japan\u2019s economic situation isn\u2019t as dire as some suggest<\/a>. Dadush argues that the reality on the ground doesn’t align with the prevailing perception of decline, and current data reveal a much more stable picture than reported. That said, there are still reforms which, if pursued, could boost Japan\u2019s competitiveness.<\/p>\n Where is genocide most likely to happen next? Researchers at the University of Sydney have created a model using ‘instability variables’ to predict which countries will experience targeted mass violence<\/a>. Similar to the Pentagon-funded Integrated Crisis Early Warning System (ICEWS), it’s known as the Atrocity Forecasting Project<\/a> and its first predictions are reported to be 90.0% accurate. More on the model at DefenseOne<\/em> here<\/a>.<\/p>\n In our technology pick for the week, a small startup company, CENTR, is working on a camera that provides 360-degree vision and infra-red technology<\/a>, allowing the user to see at night and through walls. With the system adapted for Pentagon use, soldiers would wear four cameras mounted on a helmet to record their surroundings and beam that data to commanders via drones.<\/p>\n Video<\/b><\/p>\n ANU\u2019s Dr John Blaxland and Dr Rhys Crawley discuss Gallipoli in Australian identity and popular misconceptions about the 1915 campaign<\/a> (duration: 5 mins).<\/p>\n CSIS recently hosted members of Congress who discussed Congress and the US\u2013Japan alliance<\/a> (duration: 55 mins). Audio available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Podcast<\/b><\/p>\n CIMSEC\u2019s got two new podcasts: the first, hosted by Alex Clarke, features a discussion on naval escorts between Royal Naval Commander Paul Fisher (ret) and CIMSEC associate editor Chris Stockdale<\/a>. The second has James Lambeth from the US Navy\u2019s Dam Neck facility on 3D printing<\/a>.<\/p>\n