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On 1,200 acres in Indiana, Amazon’s biggest AI data center is now operational, with half a million AWS Trainium2 chips entirely devoted to powering OpenAI rival Anthropic. Just over a year ago, the whole site was nothing but dirt and cornfields.

Seven buildings are operating now, and once complete, the site will have around 30 buildings and consume some 2.2 gigawatts of power. CNBC went to the small town of New Carlisle, Indiana, to talk to locals who are worried about the impact on their community and electric bills - and to get a first ever on-camera tour inside what Amazon’s calling the largest cluster of non-Nvidia chips in the world. We also sat down with AWS CEO Matt Garman and Anthropic CPO Mike Krieger for more details on the partnership.

I think all that you said is spot on. I will make this distinction: When I speak of Communist China, I am generally not speaking of the people. I am speaking of the government, the CCP.

Most Chinese citizens are simply trying to make a living, feed, clothe, and shelter themselves. And I agree most would not believe they would start a war, but I also agree-that is probably naive.

I feel a great deal of sympathy for everyday Chinese citizens. I do. But even still, I recognize there are significant cultural differences that could result in an unintended catastrophe in the 21st-century.

(Note: I am taking the time to go into this post in this depth, because you are someone with experience in that culture that many of us do not have, and I think you might be interested in this. There are two books that I have read recently that come to bear on this, which I discuss below. That said, if you give me a “too long – did not read” response, I won’t be offended in anyway.)

I am almost finished reading a book called “Comanches”, and I very much admire the work. It is extremely evenhanded, and discusses the plight of one group of American Indians (the Comanches) when they came into contact with a more advanced civilization that had come to North America from Europe.

According to the author, the American Indian tribes were largely static, and had been living much the same way for hundreds or even thousands of years since they crossed the bridge from Asia and populated the formerly unpopulated north, central, and South American continents.

The thing I take away from this book, is that most of the bad things that happened between American Indians and Europeans/Americans was due to the fact that these were two cultures that came in to contact with each other, one was advanced and changing, and the other was static and primitive.

Everything that happened would’ve been predictable from a 21st century viewpoint.

For example, the Comanches were not one single tribe but dozens upon dozens of “horse Indian” tribes that had very little to do with each other. The Mexicans, Europeans, and Americans completely did not recognize this fact and viewed them as a whole. Therefore, we would make treaties with one faction of the Comanches, and another faction would break that treaty, because they had nothing to do with it.

Interestingly, the Comanches were able to distinguish Mexicans from Texans from Americans. At first, they viewed the Mexicans as a People to be plundered, the Texans as something of a people to be hated, despised, and fought, and Americans asa people they would be initially kind of indifferent to.

They raided and murdered the Mexicans and viewed them contemptuously as a resource to be plundered. After the Republic of Texas raised companies of Texas Rangers, while the Comanches hated and despised them, they respected and feared them and ended up surrendering the field of battle to them by fleeing to different areas rather than face demolition by standing and fighting men who learned how to fight without mercy exactly the same way the Comanches did.

And even up to the point their encounters with Americans (not Texans who became part of the United States) were relatively even (perhaps to the point of congeniality) and the Comanches had learned to tell the difference between American soldiers and Texas Rangers. The Europeans (Spanish, French, and British) the Texans, and the Americans all made the same mistake that ended up being fatal for the Comanches. They thought they were dealing with all of them, when they only dealt with one of them. The Comanches readily signed treaties, but only because they viewed them quite differently than everybody else they were making treaties with did. They didn’t necessarily view them as being binding words, but simply expediencies.

In the end however, they sowed the seeds of their own fate by there in ability to adapt and change, taken in combination with a huge bureaucracy that they had no idea about and could not even conceptualize in the American government, which in its efforts to deal with the Indian problem, from both benign and malignant viewpoints of Americans, insured the extinction of the entire people of the Comanche tribe.

I say all this, not because the communist Chinese are more or less advanced than America, but because our cultures are so drastically different in many important ways, that I fear something catastrophic could result from this clash of alien cultures. Surely, we have many things in common, but there are so many cultural differences that Americans are wholly unaware of, and on the communist side, are partially unaware of.

I read a fascinating book by the excellent Victor Davis Hanson that was called: “The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation”. It is an interesting and vitally important book to read, because it illustrates how the clashes of alien cultures can result in the total extinction of one of the sides in the feet, which in most cases, might’ve been avoided except for the ignorance of one or both of the sides. He discusses these four cases of the total obliteration of cultures in war, and why they happened. (Note: you can probably see my tag line that says: “Factio Communistica Sinensis Delenda Est” which translates to “The Chinese Communist party must be destroyed” which is a direct takeoff on a reference to Carthage by Cato The Elder that you may recognize, “Carthago delenda est”. It was the reading of Victor Davis Hanson’s book that influenced that thievery on my part.) These are the wars that VDH discussed:

1.) The Destruction of Thebes (335 BC): Alexander the Great’s Macedonian forces annihilated the classical Greek city-state of Thebes after its rebellion, killing thousands, enslaving survivors, and razing the city as a brutal warning to others.

2.) The Obliteration of Carthage (146 BC): In the Third Punic War, Rome completely destroyed its longtime rival, salting the earth (symbolically or literally), killing or enslaving the population, and ending Carthaginian civilization after centuries of conflict.

3.) The Fall of Constantinople (1453): The Ottoman Turks under Mehmed II sacked the Byzantine capital, ending the Eastern Roman Empire through massive bombardment, massacre, and conquest, marking the close of the medieval Byzantine era.

4.) The Conquest of Tenochtitlán (1521): Hernán Cortés and his Spanish forces, allied with indigenous groups oppressed by the Aztecs, toppled the Aztec Empire’s capital, leading to its destruction, the death of hundreds of thousands, and the erasure of Aztec dominance.

They all have something very much in common, miscommunication and misunderstanding of a given culture.

I have a great worry that we may indeed blunder into a war with China on this basis, and it could result in the terrible outcome for both countries.

I fully admit that much of my knowledge about the inner workings of China and its citizens come from a YouTube channel online by a formerly South African fellow (Now American) named “Serpentza” who lived in Communist China for 14 years teaching English as a young man. He sounds like he was there throughout much of the explosive growth of the country and had many good things to say about it, but over time he came to recognize the evil inherent in the Chinese Communist Party and how they deal with its people.

I do not take his analysis at face value wholly, but he does present the Chinese culture in a way that many Americans could relate to and understand… But it’s not visible to us because of the practices of the CCP. I will also note that he was very specific in saying that the most genuine and human people that he encountered in his time in China were the people who would be classified as lower class. He said they were the most straightforward and less inculcated with government propaganda, and that you could talk to them in person to person with a high degree of genuine honesty. But they do have their problems, there is no doubt.

Just one example – they have many mouths to feed over in China. They have an enormous manufacturing capability with thousands and thousands of large plants… And if the market for the output of those plants goes away, there could be great social unrest. He observed that there is this weird thing of people kneeling in roadways...it has something to do with a large number of citizens who simply are not being paid for their work. They can’t quit, because then they would really be in trouble, so they hang on to their job even though they’re getting no pay because they’re not sure that they can get another job if they do quit. I imagine that quitting their job would label them to the authorities as “socially undesirable”.

I don’t view social unrest in communist countries as a bad thing per se, but any time there is social unrest in a country that is run by people as cruel and focused as the CCP, things can go sideways in ways we would not wish.

The Chinese communist party is extremely conscious of the image of it that is presented to the world (no surprise, because they are fundamentally an Asian shame culture) but they are somewhat unique in being so high up on the economic stage throughout the world, that they bring the full power of their governmental propaganda organs to be on the vision of China that people outside the country say. Almost all Americans I talk to about this are only vaguely aware current, or even completely unaware of it.

This fellow Serpentza is not at all shy about discussing the flaws in Communist China that the majority of Americans are unaware of, and may not realize the teetering edge the country hovers on, being held in place the iron fist of the CCP inside a velvet glove cloaked in propaganda that the rest of the world sees.

Again, I took the time to discuss this with you because you have experience that almost all of us don’t have-you have seen the country in all of it great grandeur, propagandistic or otherwise, and you cannot have helped having been exposed to its flaws as well as a foreigner. One of the episodes on his channel that I just saw discussed how foreigners are leaving the country, because it is becoming far less hospitable to people from other countries. I don’t know exactly when it was filmed, but he said in Shanghai the population of foreigners is down more than 60%, and many of the schools that taught English have closed up (it is mainly being taught in the larger colleges and schools now, according to him) I don’t know how true this is, but he said the country is becoming more nationalistic and less tolerant of foreign nationals. Granted, the United States is becoming more nationalistic (hopefully) because we need to separate what has been done wrong in the last 40 years and counting.

I would be interested in hearing more on your views, even via Freepmail if you are not comfortable discussing in the open forum, if you are willing.

I would be interested in hearing more on your views, even via Freepmail if you are not comfortable discussing in the open forum, if you are willing.

LOL! If I am willing? One of my favorite things to do is to share my views. Just ask my wife. She knows ALL my favorite things to do!

We can do it here. If any important points come up that might compromise individuals, I'll switch to the Freepmail.

My relationship with China and Chinese culture actually started in 1993, when I began working for company founded and owned by a Taiwanese multi-millionaire (who quickly became a billionaire). The Owner was 25 yrs old when he and his family fled to Taiwan to escape the communist takeover. Many of my first impressions about the culture and company came from him, and his family members that ran the company.

While I worked there, I managed two young engineers who had emigrated from China. They attended university in the US, got green cards, and were working to get citizenship. It's a long, expensive process. They were GREAT workers...(the best in my team, by far) and they talked openly with me about their experiences growing up in rural China. In their hometowns, they NEVER had telephone wires/poles.... They had no phones, until cell phones came along. That's how backward they were, even in the late 1980's, and how FAST they advanced beginning especially in the 1990's.

At that time, based on my discussions and reading, China was not looking to threaten the US. They were mired in the process of "re-awakening", still feeling very far behind and suffering from a nation-wide inferiority complex. That was about to change.

As many in China began to prosper and become more acquainted with the advancements in the world outside of China, a movement began to grow, especially in the well-educated young. People started wanting more freedom. This wasn't JUST in China, it was happening in the old Soviet Union. I think this was largely the result of Ronald Reagan's outreach to the Soviets. He was allowed to speak directly to students there, and he delivered inspiration. The result in the Soviet Union was: the empire collapsed. The Chinese leaders saw this and were determined to NOT have that happen in their empire.

All dreams of democratization in China were crushed in 1989, at Tiananmen Square. Blowback and sanctions from the West angered the CCP leaders, and I think started their change in attitude about how to deal with the West. Knowing they were far from being able to confront the US militarily, they embarked on a different strategy: STEAL technology, STEAL economic power, AVOID Direct conflict, find ways to subvert the US from the inside. That's when I believe the real war between us started.

If you want to learn more about it, I recommend reading this book;

Unrestricted Warfare by PLA colonels Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui

When it first came out, it was controversial. The CCP tried to dismiss it as "musing among low level Chinese Officials". Now, we have 26 years of seeing their actions. The book is a roadmap for their behavior this century.

In Chinese culture, lying is not deemed immoral, especially not if it's part of a strategy to defeat an opponent. The same is true in the mid-east, where I also did a lot of business. There is no social stigma attached even to being caught in a whopper, as long as it's obvious you did so in an effort to make business. That's not to say that trust is not valued. It is when you're providing services. Not so much in a sales negotiation. "Slight deception" is expected. In fact, they won't respect you if you don't even try it. That cultural difference is a key to understanding many of our differences. In the US, if a customer catches you in a lie? They shun you for decades, even at a cost to their own business. In Saudi? or China? Not at all.

Once CCP leader were frightened by our ability to incite internal revolt with our messages of "freedom", they became intent on finding ways to mitigate our military power. I think their strategy for controlling their own people and for neutralizing the US can be summed up by a Latin phrase that was hanging on the wall of an office I moved into back in 1990. It was a simple wood frame, with a fancy font that something like; "Capta Ille Testiculis, Mentes, Cordiaque Sequunter". If you take a little time, you don't have to be a Latin expert to GET the just of it.

"When you've got em by the balls, their hearts and minds soon follow".

I don't know who first came up with that quote. I've seen it attributed to Julius Caesar and Lyndon Johnson. It's a universal truth, so it might have been Alexander the Great. Who knows? I kept that sign on my wall for 33 years, all through the "woke" revolution and "me-too" nonsense. No one knows Latin anymore.

But... I digress.

In our highly integrated technical age, we are HIGHLY vulnerable to asymmetric attack. We haven't even TRIED to protect our soft under-bellies. In fact, we have invited the enemy in.

I think your comparison of the Comanches against the new threats is very relevant. China was the world's greatest power for thousands of years. They were SO FAR AHEAD of the rest of the world, they didn't even care about us. The Brits and French destroyed them, and rubbed their nose in their impotence. China's embedded cultural pride never went away and the new CCP is a master at stoking this. They are all too happy to see the same kinds of techniques (opiod poisoning) being dealt back to us. Yes, it wasn't the US that did this to them, but... they don't see much difference between the dominant USA of today and the dominant UK of yesteryear.

A common thread I see as I've traveled around the world is: ambitious political leaders are adept at deceiving their people and cultivating nationalistic fervor by blaming others. They don't care if this gets out of hand, and starts a war... as long as they remain in power.

My glimmer of hope is this: Also, among all of the great global powers (not so much in Europe, they are too far gone down climate change rabbit holes)... there is a CORE cultural value to commerce. Making BUSINESS with anyone and everyone to the benefit of themselves, their families, and their countries. It's there in China, in Saudi, India, Japan, even in Russia. This is the vein that Trump and family are mining with some success. I can't say who will win out in the battle of commerce vs nationalism. The nationalist have the easier task.

To wrap up a bit... Late in my travels, I was able to visit the place that the Chinese Billionaire owner personally told me was his favorite place on earth. He named his new company after this lake, which is near the ancient Chinese capital of Hangzhou. It was unbelievably beautiful. Easily, my favorite spot in all of my travels around China.

You ask, specifically, about weaknesses I see in the Chinese system. There are many.

First, their strengths: They are 100% autocratic, with a complaint populace. The government can do, or decree pretty much anything they want and there will be little pushback. The people have bought into the inherent superiority of their system, which requires personal subservience. This will hold as long as their economic system holds together, and keeps the majority feeling wealthy. There are risks to this.

First off, like any communist system, critical economic decisions are not made based on true economic conditions. They are all politically based. In the long run, such a system is destined to fail. The CCP political system, despite being communist, still has internal competitiveness. and, the National system shares control with the Provincial governments. It’s not as 100% top down as most here think. This leads to amplified error in decision making.

In my business, a few years ago.. the central government decreed that they would begin enforcing strict limits on CO2 emissions, while also demanding high employment targets for each province. The result was, MANY provinces raced to simultaneously install chemical plants the market couldn’t justify. They justified it by their individual need to beat the regulatory restrictions, and to ensure employment. In a short time, they GREATLY over-built and are now communally facing an over-supplied market, with poor economics.

Meanwhile over the past several decades, the government has embarked on massive building projects, aimed at keeping growth rates high and people employed. Now, they have massively over-built housing and infrastructure... The value of existing real estate has collapsed, and the entire country feels their wealth has taken a hit. That shakes confidence... and in such times, Chinese culture leads to something Americans know nothing about: They SAVE money! They don’t borrow... they just STOP spending, and keep their money as protection. That hurts their economy, and they are seeing it.

I think “free markets” make better decisions. US markets are far too distorted by government interference. But we’re nowhere close to as bad the level of central control in China. Again, in the long run, I believe our system will ALWAYS prevail. But off-setting that are cultural failures that can interupt normal economic progress. Also, technology changes are making winners and losers less evident. In a race to AI, it seems the US is ahead, but the Chinese system is good as winning manufacturing races... at least, in the short term.

China’s current system is so bizarre, it’s difficult to sell “value” to them in the way we would to US customers. We can show how our product will reduce costs, improve performance, whatever. In the US, this is recognized and considered desirable. In China? It’s only valuable if it helps THE PERSON you’re selling to, not their organization. They gain nothing if another department gains. Only their OWN personal gain matters. It’s weird. It require in-depth discussion about how THEY can benefit.

I will say, I don’t see a lot of direct corruption (ie, bribes) in China. These are rampant in Russia and eastern Europe. In China, anyone caught gets executed in the city square. So.. yea, it’s not common.

One last observation about the Chinese system that helps them: Women are highly valued and treated as more or less equals in their work environment. It’s similar to the way women are treated in the US. They still have the dual responsibility of being earners, and primary child-rearers... which puts a lot of pressure on their women. But in China, they get a lot of familial support. It’s common for one or more grandparent to live in-home, or nearby, and help with family duties. We have less of that here. The strengh of their family structurs help them weather economin hard times.

Excellent-I apologize that it took me so long to get in and respond in kind-this kind of post is different in that responding with a silly graphic or meme isn't appropriate or desirable!

Excellent observations, especially in the light of their rapid economic expansion over such a short period of time.

And I have no doubt that when they began rising, they did not view the US as an enemy, merely something to exploit and draw on.

And I wholly agree with the analysis of the effect of Tiananmen Square. The Soviet Union could not respond anymore as a tyrannical government to stop the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but...the CCP had no such problem removing the iron fist from the enclosure of the velvet glove they wanted the rest of the world to see.

And that wasn't lost on the Chinese population at all. They knew how things would go.

I read three books that wholly changed my views on Communist China. One was LINK: Stealth War-How China Took Over While America Slept

, his other book LINK: War Without Rules: China's Playbook for Global Domination and the very book you mentioned: LINK: Unrestricted Warfare: China's Master Plan to Destroy Americ.

Of all of them, Spalding's book "Stealth War" was the most eye-opening. Very nearly terrifying to see it laid out. But he offered solutions, which made it less "terrifying". I had a difficult time navigating the density of "Unrestricted Warfare", but General Robert Spalding offers a very salient framework in which to navigate it which really helped.

Have you ever seen any of these videos on this YouTube channel that were put out by LINK: Serpentza YouTube Channel

? I would be interested if you watched one and let me know what you think. He isn't racially skewering the...when he does, he is culturally skewering them.

I am a student of what happened with Communist infiltration into the West after WWII, and the question of "Who Lost China?" still resonates with me, given what we see today. It was heartbreaking to me to consider what China and the US had done together during the war. We should have been allies after WWII. There was significant friendship that existed, even given the history that many Chinese resented. The Communists played that for all it was worth, and tens or hundreds of millions of Chinese murdered by their own country since them showed who the real enemy of the Chinese population was.

(Image from the movie "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo".)

Anyway, thank you for taking the time-I greatly enjoyed reading your posts on this.

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