NZ - Sitting duck for Japan or others?

Lanthanide

It seems to me, that with such a negligable military and such an underpopulated, moderate-climate and fertile country, we are going to be prime targets for invasion.

I think Australia isn't as badly placed as some other countries when it comes to PO, but Japan and China are definitly threats to the country. Seems to me that invasion by these nations is only a matter of time.

What think others?

auscanman

I wouldn't be so sure. I mean NZ has lots of fertile land available, but really doesn't have any resources that China is hungry for... well other than sheep Razz

NZ and Japan have always struck me as an interesting contrast. They're a similar size, with similar climate, topography and quality of soil, and both lack deposits of metals or fossil fuels, yet NZ has less than 5% the population of Japan!

Given Japan's precarious situation the rise of WW2 style militarism there within the near future seems inevitable.

americandream

The Brits and Americans are already here.
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ohanian · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Oct 17, 2004 Posts: 1065

Lanthanide

The time frame I'm looking at here is ~2015 or later, assuming the SHTF between '08-10. Judging by recent events, it's looking like that could easily be next year.

Not many would die invading NZ, we have no real military force. We'd probably surrender, even. Unless some other country like US or OZ decided to protect us, but they'll have their own issues to worry about. And if they did stop in to protect us, it'd obviously be for their own benefit.

As for not wanting people to die in general - is it better to have millions of people in a country with little food, or send a few of them over to another country that has food?

Jack · Dark Lord Joined: Aug 11, 2004 Posts: 4972

What if the invasion is by large numbers of starving, desperate Japanese, Chinese, Indonesians, and so on and so forth?

They get to your shores in battered boats (nothing worthy of the name ship) and vomit forth upon your shores.

What do you do?
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venky · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 13, 2005 Posts: 811

venky · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 13, 2005 Posts: 811

Seriously though, I think an invasion of NZ is unlikely in the current world order. The US would intervene to protect its ally from naked aggression. And I dont mean to sound cynical or anything but they are not going to let a white mans island fall to any Asian horde.

The US would have to be weakened drastically before the current world order can be turned on its head. And I dont see that happening in our lifetimes, Peak Oil or no Peak Oil.
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kokoda · Heavy Crude Joined: Aug 24, 2006 Posts: 420

What makes you think that Oz won't invade you?

You have a damn sight more water then we do.

Lanthanide

I guess that's the difference between us then. I'm thinking that the world order is drastically going to be changed within our lifetimes. Unless your definition of lifetime is something like "5 more years".

I don't see what USA would get out of protecting NZ if they're trying to fight off China, Japan, India or any other rivals - why would they care what happens to NZ? We don't have any abundant strategic resources, all we've really got is food which isn't going to help if you can't transport it back to the mainland.

essex

It's not aggression so much it's REFUGEES - a few boats , eg oil tankers on their last "run" could easily carry 100,000 people. So they run aground on the west coast of the North Island , what are you to do , shoot them ???

Tyler_JC

Considering how much oil/money/energy it would take to invade a country like New Zealand and maintain the supply lines for several years...it doesn't seem like a logical reaction to Peak Oil.
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Jack · Dark Lord Joined: Aug 11, 2004 Posts: 4972

LastManInEurope · Coal Joined: Nov 13, 2007 Posts: 15

Lanthanide