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Posted on 10/10/2001 10:59:23 PM PDT by CommiesOut

China Reform Monitor No. 408, September 25, 2001
American Foreign Policy Council, Washington, D.C.

"Decline of the US as a superpower," claim authors of
Chinese PLA's "Unrestricted Warfare" doctrine

Editor: Al Santoli

Editor: Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in the United States, the authors of the seminal 1999 Chinese People's Liberation Army text on 21st Century "assymetrical" warfare, titled Unrestricted Warfare, were interviewed in the September 13, 2001 People's Republic of China-owned Ta Kung Pao newspaper in Hong Kong. The following are excerpts from the interview with the military theorists, Senior Colonels Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui:

September 25

Hong Kong Ta Kang Pao: Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui foretold such a scenario of terrorists using high technological means to carry out attacks beyond the military scope in the 21st century to achieve military goals in their book Unrestricted Warfare, published in 1999. The large-scale terrorist attacks in Washington, D.C. and New York unfortunately were just like what they predicted.

Those carrying out the attacks were terrorists but not career military personnel, what they used were civilian airplanes but not military weapons, and what they attacked were international trade buildings but not military targets; however, the casualties and shock caused by the attacks were even more serious than those caused by a war. This is "unrestricted warfare" -- it goes beyond the scope of a military warfare but it achieves the objectives of fighting a war.

Colonels Qiao and Wang: "The series of attacks taking place in the United States were very dreary and terrifying, but they must not be viewed from a single perspective. While the thousands of innocent people killed or injured in the attacks were victims of terrorism, they also were victims of US foreign policy. The September 11, 2001 very likely is the beginning of the decline of the United States, as a superpower."

Ta Kong Pao: Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, show that it is impossible for weak countries to follow rules of strong countries in carrying out [military] actions. Although employing such [terrorist] means by them is completely not in line with basic morality of mankind, they do not think of whether it is honorable and just expect to achieve their strategic goals using various tactical means. Although the terrorists destroyed only two or three targets in their attacks, the effect was strategic. Such attacks will be one of the major forms of warfare in the 21st century.

Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui: "The attacks demonstrated the United States' fragility and weakness and showed that essentially it is unable to stand attacks. The National Missile Defense [NMD] system cannot save it.

"The United States, a giant 'tiger,' has been dealing with mice; unexpectedly, this time it was bitten by 'mice'; it has been wielding a large hammer but has been unable to find the flea. From a short-term perspective, the attacks in the United States will very likely have some effect on China's economy -- they might affect China's economic growth. However, from a long-term viewpoint, they could be favorable to China."

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