Free Republic

Chinese president Xi Jinping has set a timeline for his nation's military to be capable of taking Taiwan by 2027 — just five years from now. Recent events in the Taiwan strait have some questioning the strategic situation and prospects of a near-term invasion. Colin H. Kahl, the undersecretary of defense for policy, said that while China is very interested in expanding its sphere of political and military influence in the Indo-Pacific region, it's likely going to be more cautious when it comes to a move as aggressive as an invasion of Taiwan. "I do not think that China wants...

Ukraine's counter-offensive in occupied Kherson is wrecking Russia's "thinly held" defenses in the region that was seized by Moscow in the early stages of the war, the U.K. Ministry of Defense recently said. The British defense ministry said in an intelligence update Wednesday that Ukrainian armored forces have continued to assault Russian troops on several axes across the south of the country since Monday. "Ukrainian formations have pushed the front line back some distance in places, exploiting relatively thinly held Russian defences," the ministry said.