So let's gut ours!
Posted on 08/17/2010 4:09:23 PM PDT by rbg81
WASHINGTON (AP) - China's drive to transform itself into a major military power is being pursued in a secretive manner that increases the potential for misunderstanding and military conflict with other nations, the Pentagon says in a new report.
The Defense Department's annual assessment, released Monday, says Beijing is upgrading its hefty arsenal of land-based missiles, modernizing its nuclear forces and expanding its fleet of attack submarines.
The effort comes as China has suspended military-to-military talks with the U.S., which could reassure the U.S. about the motives behind Beijing's military buildup.
U.S.-China relations have been particularly strained in recent months, as China rejected the results of an investigation blaming North Korea for the sinking of a South Korean warship. China's military buildup also is seen as a threat to the U.S. ability to defend Taiwan.
The congressionally mandated report doesn't contain any surprises. It's long been known that China - emerging as a world economic powerhouse - is pouring billions of dollars into offensive and defensive military capabilities to protect its regional interests.
But U.S. officials say the trend is disappointing because of the secrecy surrounding the moves, which make it difficult to gauge Beijing's intentions.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.myway.com ...
So let's gut ours!
Being the second largest economy in the world, of course they will have a strong military.
The criminals at the D of C have done it the name of globalism. The world will be a much much better place when it is governed by the royalty.
You would not understand because you dont have an Ivy League diploma like the politician/lawyer/bankers who are wrestling for seats at the new world order table as we speak.
Hope and Change!!
What, Gore & Clinton didn’t give them EVERYTHING? Obama has to up the ante?
Being the second largest economy in the world, of course they will have a strong military.
Send the Pentagon a “No $hit, Sherlock” memo please, kkthx. =.=
Even now, you’ve got these analysts sitting around with the thumbs up their a$$es wondering what Bejing’s intentions are. I suspect the truth is that our politicians are too busy getting rich from the status quo to rock the boat.
We’ve helped them literally every step of the way, while doing great harm to ourselves in the process....
Trade policies that enrich them while putting people here out of work, political contributors giving them technology, and the list goes on and on.
We should begin making our own ‘stuff’ again, and default on all of the treasuries we’ve sold to them to compensate for their currency manipulation over the years.
Please remember that our defense budget is 680 billion, their’s is 80 billion.
They aren’t going to challenge us anytime in the near future in conventional warfare.
Please remember that our defense budget is 680 billion, their’s is 80 billion.
I should also add that we are spending $$ for wars which (currently) they are not.
Those are good questions, but I doubt the PLA makes those figures available.
The do maintain a standing army of 2.25 million, with over 3 million army total.
As far as wars go, they aren’t currently fighting any, but their army keeps the peace in China itself...tying up far more resources and money proportionally than our involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq.
China is a threat, but is not the boogeyman many libertarians make them out to be.
Actually, I looked it up. If you add in overseas contingency ops, Defense spending is $721.3B. Of that, however, $154B is military personnel costs. Procurement and RDT&E is about $220B. That is an impressive figure. However, as a Lt Col (ret) who worked in acquisition, I can tell you that a lot of that $$ is wasted — my guess would be at least 25%. And there are high personnel costs there too.
My larger point is that our leaders should have seen this coming. Our policies re: China have been in their best interests, not ours. It seems like policy has been economically driven, rather than influenced by political-military-diplomatic concerns. Even on economics, we have exported jobs and wealth to China, and now we are indebted to them. And they are using that $$ to build a powerful miltiary to challenge us. Even if its not yet the equal of our own, they are getting richer and we poorer. It just does not add up.
So, for 30 years, the CCP actually did you a favor :)
So, for 30 years, the CCP actually did you a favor :)
What incentive, whether a communist country or not, does China have, to not build a military commensurate and proportional to its population and economy?
Why would they limit their military expensidtures to less than 1%, as in the case of Japan, instead of 3% for China today? Irregardless of whether they are a democracy or not.
And China, using governmental policies to steer her economy, is nothing new. She did not invent it along the way, but used tried and trued methods of government intervention to develop her economy in the backdrop of more developed nations. Whether it be Japan and South Korea towards the West in post WWII or the US towards Europe in the late 19th century.
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