China will continue to target US cities - Powell

rediff.com ^ | 10-23-01 | T V Parasuram

[tallhappy]

China will continue to target US cities: Powell

T V Parasuram in Washington

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, fresh from his talks with Chinese leaders, said that China would continue to keep American cities within striking distance of its missiles and modernise its nuclear weapons.

He, however, suggested that this would not spark an India-China or an India-Pakistan nuclear race, as New Delhi and Islamabad were really concerned about the problems in their neighbourhood.

"The Chinese have always kept a relatively small amount of intercontinental ballistic missiles and they have never viewed them in the same way as the Soviet Union did during the Cold War when we were constantly building up," Powell told reporters.

"If we put them (missiles) in SSBNS (nuclear submarines), they would put them in SSBNS. If we had a triad (missiles in the air, on land and at sea), they had a triad," Powell said about the Cold War.

"The Chinese were never a part of that competition. They built a few first strike intercontinental ballistic missiles. They were not designed to go after somebody else's nuclear forces. They were designed to go after something of enormous value -- San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle -- and as long as they could do that, their nuclear forces were serving their purpose," he said.

"It is expected that over time one would modernise such a force. Can't keep an old force around forever. The Chinese have been working to modernise that force, which tends to make it more stable and safe," he added.

PTI

[DoughtyOne]

There are times when Powell appears to be on the verge of dilusional behavior, ex. these comments and his policies on Israel.

[wideawake]

more stable and safe

and accurate and powerful . . .

[Imperial Warrior]

Yes. Again Mr. President, Mr. Powell, Mr. Congressmen, and US Dept of Commerce, why are we still China's #1 trade partner in imports and their #1 economic benefactor? The status quo of preferential trade status for COMMUNIST China has to end now. A nation at war doesn't need to trade with enemies, potential enemies, and ...China.

[Poohbah]

Actually, he's just describing Chinese nuclear policy.

Or are you saying that he should dictate terms of surrender to China?

[veracious]

They were designed to go after something of enormous value -- San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle

Sigh, and I thought they were aimed us in order to do harm. Let him that eyes to see... ears to hear...

[TLBSHOW]

Make no bones about it China is not our friend. Never was and never will be.

[DoughtyOne]

If you'll take note of the overall tone of Powell's comments, I think you'll come away with the feeling that he seems to express that Chinese nukes aren't objects we should concern ourselves with. Note that he mentions the targeting of cities to be a positive sign, as opposed to Russia's goal of targeting military installations. Coupled with his recent comments about Israel, I'm beginning to think of Powell as more of an airhead than a valuable asset to the Bush administration.

[Poohbah]

Targeting cities IS a good sign--it means that the PRC doesn't envision themselves starting a nuclear exchange and winning.

[DoughtyOne]

Thank you for disagreeing with me. When you do one thing is certain, I'm on the right track.

[babyface00]

Uh, doesn't "first strike" imply "starting" a nuclear exchange?

[Eva]

I wonder how, Govenor Locke of WA, the first Chinese American Govenor, feels about Seattle being a target of Chinese missiles.

[Poohbah]

It implies "starting" a nuclear exchange. But the Chinese targeting model indicates that they have (according to THEIR estimates) no hope of WINNING (big difference) a nuclear exchange. Basically, Chinese nuclear forces are the last line of defense for Chinese sovereignty--they are intended to prevent the US (or anyone else) from engaging in actions that would lead to the destruction of the PRC as a political entity, by threatening unacceptable levels of damage in return for those actions.

If they seriously intended to fight and win a nuclear exchange against the United States, their force structure would look a lot more like the XUSSR's did at their peak.

[nmh]

"US Secretary of State Colin Powell, fresh from his talks with Chinese leaders, said that China would continue to keep American cities within striking distance of its missiles and modernise its nuclear weapons. "

And I'm supposed to feel safe and secure with missles and other nuclear weapons poised to strike at our cities in the U.S.? Powell will most likely think this is a "victory" since he is incompetent.

[nmh]

"Make no bones about it China is not our friend. Never was and never will be."

That's a fact. Could you enlighten our token, Powell on the OBVIOUS?

[veracious]

WRT #9

Some theoriest might view it that way. I might think it meant they know they don't have enough nukes to take down our whole military complex. They will however be willing to destroy several of our largest cities if push comes to shove. Don't push them too far... if we don't stand in their way... especially if we continue to send them billions of dollars every month.

Given enough time, money, and secrets, do they plan to point those death machines somewhere else? Do they plan limit themselves to the current # of missiles? Will they truely be part of the civilized world, when the're big enough to play the big game? Are they my friends, are they good for me and my children, are they your friends?

I see what you're saying, theoritically, but who does win if they launch?

[Poohbah]

You've missed the point.

A Chinese nuclear force designed to fight and win a nuclear war with the United States would look a LOT different from the force they have deployed or will deploy in the coming decades.

It would look more like the XUSSR's forces did at their peak, or even how our own look today, with many more missiles aimed at military targets (in order to support the goal of limiting damage to the Chinese homeland).

The Chinese force posture is best described as a "if you try to dismember the PRC, we will not go out quietly, we will take some of you with us." It is insufficient (and will remain so) to do mortal damage to the US (one may argue with straight face that we might be better off without much of the lumpenproletariat in our urban cores sucking up tax revenues from the productive), and the US return strike would make Genghis Khan's Golden Horde look like a bunch of Birkenstock-wearing peacenik freaks. They're playing defense.

[RightWhale]

this would not spark an India-China or an India-Pakistan nuclear race

Powell has finally made a leap of logic that I cannot follow. If China continues to target US cities why wouldn't that encourage both India and Pakistan to target US cities as well?

Thus if India threatens Karachi, Pakistan would immediately threaten Chicago, and India would be forced to back down. Or if China threatens Calcutta, then India could threaten Los Angeles. Would China be willing to exchange LA for Calcutta?

[Malcolm]

China is our enemy. They are communist, we are democratic. They are the opposite of everything we are. As far as trading with them, we should cease that, but out backstabbing allies (Canada, EU, Japan), would just take up where we left off. The only hope is for a democratic revolution there, but after the Tiannemen Square massacre, no doubt most normal Chinese want to avoid being killed, if that's the price for freedom (which in general, is always the price). Maybe the Chinese people will rise up and deliver humanity from the mother of all wars, either conventional or nuclear......

[Imperial Warrior]

That's why buck-toothed, Coke bottle glasses Chinese students were cheering and laughing when news and video of the World Trade Center and Pentagon were shown there. I know, I saw them on tape doing it. Were I in charge, China's only imports to us if any would be fortune cookies and paper umbrellas, not advanced computer components and high technology electronics. That, WE should be producing, or at the very least our known and trusted allies, but in no way The People's Republic of China.