Too much of a good thing is never good.
The basis of our defence diplomacy is "my Enemy's enemy is a
friend". This tied to our need for defence technology, training
areas and ready markets for our products has made us travel far and
wide, we have strange bed fellows as friends.
The obvious friends in need: Brunei, Indonesia and Taiwan provide
for all these last two 'needs'. On a more limited role is Thailand
for training and limited markets. India and Australia provide
training space. Whilst USA, Sweden, Germany(?), UK and France
provide technology and training.
Israel provides technology solely (obvious). Special mention is
Myanmar which is buyer of some of our products. All these partners
we keep 'sweet' but silent.
So what's the flip side?
What happens when an international issue has some friends on one
side and others on the opposite side? Singapore's diplomats will
have a ball of a time to keep the sides separate and walk the thin
line between.
We have been very successful by being netural and being an umpire
for issues which we ourselves have little/no stake (i.e. as chair
for discussions on G8 agri policies etc).
How then? "Walk the walk", "talk the talk", Carry a big stick and
hope it never comes to blows.
