[spetznaz]

Overestimating an enemy LS means that you will either not do something necessary out of fear,but usually it means that you will take such major precautions that when war finally erupts you will have an enormous edge (an example of this is the US using weaponry meant to defeat the ex-Soviet Union against Iraq in the Gulf war).

However Underestimating an enemy will get you killed! Simple! Going into a fight thinking that "it is just the Chinese" will only lead to your family receiving a letter of condolence. It is better to go to war expecting a strong enemy (and prepared for one) and finding a 60 pound weakling, than to go in with hollers and backslaps, making jests about the opposing force, only to get your collective a$$e$ handed back to you.

Before WW2 the Japanese were mocked and ridiculed as ineffective half-witted sots who could not even hold a rifle correctly (actually the Japanese air wing was allegedly not able to 'fly straight' because of the 'way their eyes were shaped).

That was until Pearl Harbor made people realize that the so called 'Japs' had some teeth.

China is biding is time. IS it the threat it insinuates it is (although China actually tries to downplay its capabilities .....)? Maybe it is, and maybe it is not. Remember the Chinese adage that the essence of warfare is deception. However one thing that is for sure is we should not point fingers and laugh in jest lest one day, a decade or less from now, we learn of the inept ludicrous Chinese sinking one of our ships.

Cyn, you posted a comment about the Chinese not having any combat experience since 'they were crushed by the Japanese in the late 1800s.' True, quite true indeed. Just remember that when dealing with China one needs to look at the macro picture. While we have only been a superpower for less than a century the Chinese have more or less been a powerhouse, on and off, for a long long time. And they want to be numero uno once more.

[LS]

I strongly disagree. George McClellan greatly lengthened the Civil War because he constantly overestimated his enemy. Overestimating enemy capabilities---especially weapons---means a BAD ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES. For example, we built the B-1 bomber largely due to the concern that the B-52 could not escape the MiG-25s, rather than waiting for the more capable B-2.

Overestimating an enemy often leads to either paralysis or vast over-spending when money can be used for other weapons.

[cyn]

Hi, spetznaz -- that comment was made in #15 by John H K

Oh, I'll admit, I was tempted just to keep quiet and see if I was right!

[Cronos]

Very well put, the Chinese have been dominant in East Asia for millenia, but all the rest is overhyped. We should instead of confronting the chinese directly, support their neighbours who have more to fear, neighbours like Russia, Japan, India, Australia, the Phillipines and yes even Vietnam

[dr_who_2]

That was until Pearl Harbor made people realize that the so called 'Japs' had some teeth.

...even though the Japanese were ill-prepared for war with the U.S. even then.