US Killing of Iranian General Sends Strong Signal to Iran’s Key Ally, Chinese Regime, Say Experts

The Epoch Times ^ | January 3, 2020 Updated: January 3, 2020 | CATHY HE

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The recent U.S. air strike that killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani will send a strong message to Iran’s key ally, the Chinese regime, according to a China expert.

It signals that Washington will take resolute action to deal with “bad actors,” including the Chinese communist regime—one of Iran’s top economic and military partners.

“Bad actors take their cues from our reactions to other bad actors,” Gordon Chang, China expert and author of “The Coming Collapse of China,” told The Epoch Times in an email. “A resolute response to one of them results in the others shrinking back into the shadows—and vice versa.”

The attack came as the United States and the Chinese regime are on the cusp of signing a “phase one” trade deal that has eased tensions in a trade war initiated by the United States 17 months ago to combat a raft of China’s longstanding trade abuses.

This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike, in Baghdad, Iraq, early Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. (Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office via AP) Soleimani, a 62-year-old general who headed the overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards, was killed in Baghdad on Jan. 3 in a strike authorized by President Donald Trump. The general was regarded as the second most powerful figure in Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In response, Iran has vowed to exact revenge.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the strike aimed to disrupt an “imminent attack” that would have endangered Americans in the Middle East.

[madison10]

Excellent. Twofer messaging.

[calenel]

I doubt we’ll be droning any Chinese generals, but if there are bad actors embedded with terrorists or enabling them somewhere that are Chinese nationals, they are in danger.

[gibsonguy]

You can bet the Nork fatboy got a good look too.

[dp0622]

I hear a lot, even here, about how formidable China’s navy is.

I have NO doubt that in a naval battle with the US they would Never know what his them.

And I believe that besides the new and Incredible weapons we have that seem to read out of science fiction, there are more that we don’t know about.

It happens time and again that we read of how our military is slipping or this or that new country is a threat and then an incident happens and the utter dominance of the US military shows again and again.

[Secret Agent Man]

if they retaliate, i say we tactical nuke all their top leaders residences and their main tehran govt buildings.

[Forgiven_Sinner]

Excellent. Twofer messaging.

More like Threefer. North Korea's Kim may consider well our capabilities.

[Secret Agent Man]

i often think some of this is disinformation.

[njslim]

Little Rocket Man should start crapping his pants now ….

[Widget Jr]

Two questions:

What would we know, without experts telling us the obvious? < /sarc >
Just how will Iran get its revenge, when the person who has been enacting their revenge for the last 20 years is quite dead, and the U.S. and allies are now quite alert? < /notsarc >

[WellyP]

Iran isn’t stupid but they may be stupidly stubborn. It may take a few more major kicks in the jewels before we get their attention.

[Zhang Fei]

[I hear a lot, even here, about how formidable China’s navy is.

I have NO doubt that in a naval battle with the US they would Never know what his them.]

---

Nobody knows how good they are, just as no one had any idea about the Japanese Navy before Pearl Harbor, other than it had beaten the Russian Navy twice. But the fact is that China has poured huge amounts of money into its navy. Chinese military spending at $250b is now on par or higher than the US, when the 6 to 1 salary difference is factored in. Anyone who underestimates Chinese capabilities could discover how badly-wrong he was, in the worst possible way, by losing a battle. And that is why continuously budgeting for new and improved gear is so important - that way, Uncle Sam won’t be caught using equipment less capable than the enemy’s in response to a sneak attack.

[dp0622]

A comparison to pre WWII is absurd.

The American military wasn’t WOEFULLY unprepared and naive.

I didn’t say underestimate them.

But we would beat the living f..k out of them in a naval battle.

[hardspunned]

Little Rocket Man is nothing but a Chinese pawn the Chicoms have been using to try to finagle concessions from Trump. Since that Chicom tactic failed the NORK Christmas surprise fizzled and LRM was put back on the shelf for Phase II negotiations. The Chicoms already know from personal experience that Trump is one mean mofo not to be trifled with.

[Spacetrucker]

You believe ANYTHING you see on the news? I thought you knew better 😏. Another individual and I were having a limited discussion earlier on military tech issues, both coming to the exact same understanding; much of what we see has been in use for many years, the stuff we don't see is OPSEC restricted and unless a traitor pops up we won't see or hear about it for many years.

[Midwesterner53]

Tyrants always respect strength, nothing else.

[LjubivojeRadosavljevic]

The recent U.S. air strike that killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani will send a strong message to Iran’s key ally, the Chinese regime, according to a China expert.

Who is the China expert?

In short, and in my view, China will not respond (militarily) in the wake of the US recent actions against Iran.

[heshtesh]

Iran isn’t stupid but they may be stupidly stubborn. It may take a few more major kicks in the jewels before we get their attention.

I’m totally good even if they are embarrassingly slow on getting up to speed.

[LIConFem]

Threefer, if you consider that the alliance between Iran, China and Russia has been growing stronger and more apparent of late.

[Zhang Fei]

[A comparison to pre WWII is absurd.

The American military wasn’t WOEFULLY unprepared and naive.

I didn’t say underestimate them.

But we would beat the living f..k out of them in a naval battle.]

---

The US fleet was about 2x the size of its Japanese counterpart. American aircraft had better technology and the budget was way bigger because the US economy was 9x the size of the Japanese economy. Nobody knows how it would go, and the situation is changing every day, as China’s military budget continues to expand along with its economy. The question isn’t whether USN can win in a walk today. It’s whether it can do so 10 years from now, when China has several carrier battle groups operational.