Fire On The Water: China, America, and the Future of the Pacific, by Robert Haddick

This book was one of the books I have picked up from the Naval Historical Institute [1], and in many ways it resembles the last book I received from them, “Rebalancing US Forces,” which shares with this book a strong concern for the Pacific region of the world and also of China’s ambitions and threat to the United States and its well-being, as well as the well-being of other nations, who are far better off with American hegemony than they would be under China’s vastly more exploitative domination. This book has the task of seeking to show to Americans that efforts at countering China despite our relative cultural wariness that our handling our responsibilities is better than letting someone else seek to ruin the world.

I haven’t read the book yet (obviously, as I just got in the mail today), but it does look as if this book is one of those types of books that deals with strategy, and it’s not surprising that I should be interested in the book with its at attempt at painting a vision of the future, both a desirable and an undesirable one, to shape our present actions that will lead to the future that we find. As someone who has spent several years in Asia-Pacific areas like Los Angeles, Thailand, and Portland, I suppose I have spent the time in the right places to be concerned about the Pacific and the nations around it. This book appears to be more systematic about focusing on strategy than about talking about the geography of the Pacific, but we will see if the the two books dovetail in their ideas about what the United States needs to do.

It is hard to think that this book is optimistic, but there are some questions about what approach this book will take. It is possible that the book would seek to scare people into acting out of fear of China. That appears to me to be the mostly likely way this book is going to appeal to taking steps to seek to counteract others. How much does fear motivate our actions? I would rather be motivated by a love for others and a better future ahead than to be motivated by fear and hatred of others. Our lives are too short to be pulled about by wicked games, if we ought to recognize the dangers that are in the world around us. How to be wise and circumspect without being ruled by fear, and how to be inspired by a better future rather than apocalyptic visions like a Basil Wolverton drawing is a delicate and difficult task. Perhaps this book will manage it, perhaps not.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2014/06/06/non-book-review-rebalancing-u-s-forces/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/non-book-review-rag-man-rag-man/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2013/03/10/non-book-review-aboard-the-pirate/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2013/02/09/non-book-review-a-dog-before-a-soldier/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/non-book-review-captured-the-forgotten-men-of-guam/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/non-book-review-the-aden-effect/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/non-book-review-pirate-alley/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/non-book-review-imperial-crossroads/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/10/27/non-book-review-admiral-insubordinate/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/a-non-book-review-kaigun/