Mainly to hurt us, yes.
Asymmetric warfare is the main reason. It keeps us busy elsewhere.
There are other considerations which go back a long time. The communists have always believed in the indigenous people banding together to fight off the western oppressors.
The CCP have had long time alliances with the PLO and other terrorist groups.
They were instrumental in Pakistan getting their bomb, and in Iran’s development.
They have a lot of military assets they were able to build in Pakistan including an excellent deep water port.
They had a working relationship with Al Qaeda to buy any unexplored or salvageable weapons tech al Qaeda could get after attacks.
They were building fiber optic defense networks for the Taliban when 911 happened.
Their “Muslim problem” stems from when the communists took over and annexed East Turkestan and incorporated it in the PRC as the Xinjiang (New Frontier) region. The subsequent occasional attempts at sabotage or attack of army bases was based on nationality issues more than jihad or Islamism. The Uighur’s have not received any modicum of support from the jihadists or the Islamist powers (why would they when China helps them get nukes and missiles).
wow! that was great. thanks man. I can’t believe all the stuff I learn on this board.
some of you guys should be writers for a paper. better than the ones now :)
I bet MOST foreign correspondents don’t now half of what you told me.
the China REALLY is our enemy. I knew they were, but not to that extent. what a shame.
Russia is tricky. Hate the sunnis I guess but not the shia?