If we lose in Afghanistan and the Taliban win, and they can combine with their brethren in Pakistan to get control over a nuclear weapon, and we will see an Al Qaeda look-alike with nukes. That's what Cheney and Bush were warning us about. India can't afford that, and they are quickly arming up. China can't afford it either.
Wrong. The Chinese have been explicit in saying to one another and to us, for the last 40 years, that they can afford a general thermonuclear exchange, and still prevail.
Some people think that's why the Chinese have been secret and not-so-secret proliferators. It's called "the borrowed knife strategy". Arm the crazies, start a general exchange among the designated losers, and then mop up.
Times and situations change. It was a very different China 40 years ago when they adopted this attitude. At that time they had little or nothing to lose, just a lot of people they couldn’t afford to feed and care for. Now they have a lot to lose having become one of the financial powers of the world. That’s not to say they have completely given up their position of “go and ahead and nuke us, we can take it and give back,” but they are probably less likely to employ that defense in practice.
INDEED! INDEED!
They think that even a 70% or more loss of their people is acceptable.
The survival of their culture on top of the heap is sufficient goal for them.
They can say it, but they are wrong.
I fear their more likely strategy for finishing the United States is here.
IF that article/source is genuine.
Cheers!