Posted on 02/19/2005 9:01:30 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
PING!
Id suggest investing in advanced supersonic anti-ship missiles(like the ones Russian designed ships & aircraft have).New Aegis equipped destroyers being built by the USN don't even carry the Harpoon.
We'd better listen- not only because China is a growing threat, but also because it's Rumsfeld who's telling us so.
With a population five times that of the United States, this is a game we cannot win with an economicly sound China. I and others have tried to piont that out for a decade or more, but it was to no avail.
Even if China only sparks 50% of it's population's enterprise spirit, that will wind up with it having 750 million people involved. Our economy will will be lucky to see 175 million people involved.
Helping to finance China's revival, jump start it's production capabilities and transfer our technology to them across the board, was the single most suicidal act of any nation at any time in all of recorded history.
I don't have enough expertise to tell, but I doubt it. Building ships takes a long time, so you have to plan many years ahead. And there's always a need to replace or upgrade older ships. But I imagine we are keeping a close eye on Chinese shipbuilding.
Our fleet is virtually the only blue water navy left, as Rumsfeld almost says--but he doesn't want to insult our allies. We need to keep the size manageable, because maintenance and upgrading are important issues too, perhaps more important than the total number of ships.
Susan Collins can suck rocks, as far as I'm concerned. In the past she has been a reasonable team player, but in recent years she has been a PITA. If she wants something from Bush, then she and Olympia Snowe need to return the favor.
A BIG THANKS TO THAT LOSER NIXON
I'd say so. If the Prez wants to slash ten of billions off the budget, I've got a long list for him to consider. .....and none of it involves the military.
China is pre-WW2 Japan.
Opening the lines of communication with China during the cold war was not the problem. The problem occurred around 1992, when the United States decided to move every manufacturing job it could to China.
Along with the manufacturing went technological transfers industrial, missile and nuclear as well as the cash for China to modernize it's economy, and the seeds of our own doom.
Nixon has plenty to be held accountable for. Trade policies that were enacted 20 years after he left office, are not part of it. At least they aren't IMO.
I think Ronald Reagan had the right idea.
If Rummy cuts back the Navy, it will be more of his stupidity. The Navy is our future to stand offshore with missle capability. That can control any country. No more invasion ground troops - that's 'old warfare'. Besides Rummy thinks that car bombs and IEDs threaten us more. Maybe 'free elections' in China will be the next cause to invade.
No, we need to rethink using our navy for humanitarian missions instead of pure defense or power projection.
Let China send their aircraft carriers and frigates for tsunami relief.
Why are only the nations like Australia and the US worried about being everything to the world ?
I agree with a previous poster - we don't need to win, we just need an appropriate amount of power to protect our stance in the world.
Sounds like maybe we should encourage India and Japan to step up to the plate and take over some of the Pacific security demands and increase their fleets.
Both nations are doing just that.India in the Indian Ocean/Arabian Sea/Malacca straits. & Japan in the Pacific/South China sea.The IN plans on having 2 new aircraft carriers ,close to 10 new warships & upto 3 N-subs among other systems by 2015,while the JMSDF is working on amphibious assault ships(which could be modified to carry JSFs) & new Aegis equipped destroyers.The problem is China is expanding it's presence in all these regions-for eg,it's building new naval bases & port facilities in Pakistan & Burma.
What, pray tell, are you on about?
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