Good Neighbour Policy

The World Cop by the Grace of God has embarked upon another charm offensive in the Asia Pacific region. The American defence secretary is travelling around the region dispensing civilised words of wisdom to the quarrelsome tribes. "Coercion, intimidation is a very deadly thing that leads only to conflict," Chuck Hagel pointed out, for the benefit of folk who may not, as yet, have caught up with the later oeuvre of Steven Spielberg. "All nations, all people deserve respect no matter how large or how small," said Chuck Hagel, whose country's respect for its neighbours is a byword throughout Central America and the Caribbean. To demonstrate its respect for North Korea, the US has sent a couple of extra destroyers to Japan; this is also a gesture of esteem towards China, which has a continuing dispute with Japan over some local islands. The US has a mutual defence treaty with Japan and recognises Japan's administration of the islands, so naturally it takes no side in the argument except that of the general welfare.