Posted on 06/28/2005 2:07:41 PM PDT by CHARLITE
Pre-emptive strike, anyone??
They are confusing capability with intent.
It's obvious that China wants a superpower-level military to go along with what is rapidly becoming a superpower-level economy. It'd be surprising if they were not using all these hundreds of billions of dollars to build up their military.
That doesn't mean they are going to risk all their economic progress by going to war. China right now is just experiencing the great benefits of peaceful capatalism. Sure, it's possible they will decide for war, but they strike me as a pretty rational lot, for all their lack of democracy. This isn't some whacko middle eastern regime like Iran or a nutcase government like North Korea.
At times I wonder if Gertz's unnamed Pentagon sources are the same janitors that Farah uses.
"Pre-emptive strike, anyone??"
Yeah, we could use that spare platoon we have sitting around in Fort Benning- just about everyone else is either in Iraq or being rested and refitted after deployment in Iraq.
I wouldn't even defend Taiwan- why is it our job to do so when we recognize Taiwan as part of China? We defended South Korea and look what we got for our trouble- they hate our guts now.
We're being invaded by Mexico from the south. Right now. In our own borders. In 50 years this country will be dominated by Mexicans. I really wish we'd keep our eye on the ball here.
China will do nothing until after the 2008 Olympics.
That's true.
Screw China. Let's take care of the Mexicans first.
If China is depending on the Russian coldwar era warships and submarines to initiate a war she better pay her sailors extreme danger pay just for serving on the ships. Most of those ships and subs are deathtraps(suicide machines)for the men who serve on them.
I don't think the U.S. navy has much to worry about.
The U.S. should not got to war with China to defend Taiwan. It is not our job to defend everyone who is threatened.
Good assessment IMO. Gertz tends to be the "balance" to Seymour Hersh of the Left.
Beijing is hosting the Olympics then. They will wait until after that if they invade at all. I don't think they will.
In Taiwan's case we have a treaty with them that we will protect them if they are attacked.
The obvious choice is to equip Taiwan with nukes. And a lot of 'em. An amphibious assualt won't mean squat as Beijing is vaporized.
You're right, we should make a habit of stabbing our allies in the back and disregarding our treaty obligations. Good plan!
2007 or so?
That sounds about right.
Just before a US presidential election and they'd do anything to make the Republicans look bad so that they can get their friends and compatriots the Democrats back in the White House. I'm sure they're already working out deals with Hillary.
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