Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Can China Defeat the United States in a Conventional War?
May 20, 2005 | comtedemaistre

Posted on 05/20/2005 8:09:59 AM PDT by ComtedeMaistre

Every day, the economic power and political influence of Red China continues to increase. I am, however, interested in knowing how powerful China is militarily. Is China strong enough to defeat the US in a conventional war? The latest I heard is that they have a total of 10 million trained to serve in their military, including reserves. I would especially like to hear from Freeper veterans as well as those serving in the military, on the potential threat that China poses to the United States.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Government; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: army; china; chinesemilitary; economy; geopolitics; missiles; technology; war
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 241-248 next last
To: ComtedeMaistre
"....does the US have the capability, as well as the will...."

It depends on who the U.S. president is at the time.
W would pull the trigger, Kerry would not.

81 posted on 05/20/2005 9:00:46 AM PDT by Psalm 73 ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here - this is the War Room".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee

China ~vs~ United States


82 posted on 05/20/2005 9:00:53 AM PDT by Happy2BMe ("Viva La Migra" - LONG LIVE THE BORDER PATROL!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blueblazes

Our policies have been incredibly foolish and based on getting money instead of what is best for this country.

Agreed. Our "leaders" have been selling us out for some time now and it keep going like this.


83 posted on 05/20/2005 9:00:58 AM PDT by JZelle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: All

Excuse me, but I thought China did have the ability to lob nuclear weapons at the U.S. No?

In any event, China, especially since the collapse of the USSR, has been and will continue to be the severest threat to the U.S.


84 posted on 05/20/2005 9:01:28 AM PDT by negril
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: ComtedeMaistre

You may also want to research the political and economic ventures of China in Canada and South America.


85 posted on 05/20/2005 9:01:59 AM PDT by Happy2BMe ("Viva La Migra" - LONG LIVE THE BORDER PATROL!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ForGod'sSake; All

China is currently negotiating a tunnel link with Taiwan. Maybe someone has a link and can post it before I do.


86 posted on 05/20/2005 9:01:59 AM PDT by azhenfud ("He who is always looking up seldom finds others' lost change...")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: ComtedeMaistre

I think your question is flawed because you did not define a conventional war.

The answer depends on assumptions or preconcieved notion and is thus not really answerable.


87 posted on 05/20/2005 9:02:35 AM PDT by bert (Rename Times Square......... Rudy Square.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SoothingDave

or even rename peking duck in freedom duck ?


88 posted on 05/20/2005 9:02:40 AM PDT by Double_in_a_bight (mussi denn mussi denn zum Städele hinaus - Städele hinaus ...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: JZelle

It's very sad how many people, esp in positions of power, are willing to sell out this country and then rationalize. We can't even stop the Mexican and South American invasion currently going on. Our "leaders" don't have the will or desire to do it. How on earth could we stop the Chinese who actually have weapons? Time to wake up and stop realize how far we have slipped because of greed and foolishness.


89 posted on 05/20/2005 9:03:02 AM PDT by blueblazes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: rightsmart
You hit the nail on the head. Too many in the U.S. (and this thread) see China as no match to us militarily. I believe that their economic moves are entirely based on gaining economic leverage on us so that they never need to oppose us militarily. My hope is that the plan may backfire--the more successful they are economically, the more likely the people of China will demand more social, economic, and political freedom

Truth be told, that is the US strategy. We're not going to engage China in a conventional war of any kind.

They no more want to lose their biggest market than we can afford to lose the production we rely on from there.

SD

90 posted on 05/20/2005 9:03:28 AM PDT by SoothingDave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: misterrob; A. Pole
No...

No Blood for Semiconductors will be the chant of the left...


And the free traders will say, "oh no, no more cheap color TV's!!!" (insert Klaus Nomi-like scream from his rendition of "Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead") B-P
91 posted on 05/20/2005 9:06:03 AM PDT by Nowhere Man (Lutheran, Conservative, Neo-Victorian/Edwardian, Michael Savage in '08! - DeCAFTA-nate CAFTA!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ForGod'sSake

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1320428/posts


92 posted on 05/20/2005 9:06:15 AM PDT by azhenfud ("He who is always looking up seldom finds others' lost change...")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: SoothingDave

Depends on what their values are or what their real goals are. We cannot continue to make the mistake of assuming everyone is like us or wants the same things. Market shares may matter to Americans but not necessarily to other people at all, certainly not to the same extent. Democracy may matter a great deal to us, but not matter at all to many other peoples. Power and the ability to force one's religion or ideology upon other people may be far more important to many nations than simply making money.


93 posted on 05/20/2005 9:07:06 AM PDT by blueblazes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies]

To: Neoliberalnot
"the U.S. was unable to finish the job."

Yes, in fighting the Vietnamese we were fighting the Chinese by proxy. But we were also fighting the Soviet Union by proxy at the same time. But if memory serves correctly, China invaded Vietnam shortly after the U.S. departed, and got slapped silly and humiliated by the North Vietnamese". They pulled their troops back into China like limping dogs.

94 posted on 05/20/2005 9:07:10 AM PDT by TheCrusader ("the frenzy of the Mohammedans has devastated the Churches of God" - Pope Urban II, 1097 A.D.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: azhenfud

as I told ya .. they gonna buy taiwan.

heck - they leased the f****** panama channel already.


These guys are a steam rolling desaster...


95 posted on 05/20/2005 9:08:46 AM PDT by Double_in_a_bight (mussi denn mussi denn zum Städele hinaus - Städele hinaus ...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: ComtedeMaistre

Estimates are the the Chinese could not cope with a single Carrier battle group. We currently have three full carrier battle groups rotating through the area.

If China decides that it is going to take Taiwan, they better do it. I don't think China has the navy to effectively blockade us if we decided we wanted to get our supplies in by ship.

If China is repulsed, they then give us the excuse to base troops there permanently.

China has troops, but they don't have the equipment.


96 posted on 05/20/2005 9:09:00 AM PDT by RinaseaofDs (The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ComtedeMaistre

Why would China attack their primary market?


97 posted on 05/20/2005 9:09:53 AM PDT by Soliton (Alone with everyone else.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ComtedeMaistre

has the capacity but not the will. it will be like iraq.


98 posted on 05/20/2005 9:10:08 AM PDT by minus_273
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ComtedeMaistre
If China was to seize Taiwan, does the US have the capability, as well as the will, to liberate the territory?

If we go back to fighting wars properly, i.e. the way we fought WW II, we could win. If we fight with the losing "hearts and minds" philosophy, i.e. Vietnam and now in Iraq, we wouldn't have a prayer of beating them.

99 posted on 05/20/2005 9:11:47 AM PDT by jpl (Arrest Michael Dumbkopf and flush Newsweek down the toilet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: American_Centurion

See post 22. He's dead right. There would be a lot of fish food in the Taiwan Straight.


100 posted on 05/20/2005 9:13:15 AM PDT by RinaseaofDs (The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 241-248 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson