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US ready to arm Philippines against rise of China

megaprogman said:
A broken clock is right twice a day.
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This is true, although I did watch a NOVA program some time ago in regards to these Islands, China has already set military encampments on this disputed territory. This has be hotly contested between the countries in question but currently recognized as Philippine territory by the U,N.
 
SheWolf said:
Test our strength and resolve and unite us against a common enemy... invading Iraq didn't do that for our country either.
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No. Neither did Vietnam. Afganistan did for a while, because we were after an enemy that had hit us at home (al-Q). Fighting Red China would be more like fighting Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, though, in scale and duration. China is, in a manner of speaking, "an enemy worthy of our efforts" because they have such a huge frackin' army. The scale of the opposition and the stakes involved tend to engage the national passion. Oh, it also helps if the enemy can be clearly and convincingly portrayed as the aggressor. We wanted to stay out of WW2 until Pearl Harbor...
 
Goshin said:
No. Neither did Vietnam. Afganistan did for a while, because we were after an enemy that had hit us at home (al-Q). Fighting Red China would be more like fighting Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, though, in scale and duration. China is, in a manner of speaking, "an enemy worthy of our efforts" because they have such a huge frackin' army. The scale of the opposition and the stakes involved tend to engage the national passion. Oh, it also helps if the enemy can be clearly and convincingly portrayed as the aggressor. We wanted to stay out of WW2 until Pearl Harbor...
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IDK... I don't hold the belief that war leads to glory, and I don't think fighting China would be like fighting Nazi Germany. Sure, we could try to portray them as monsters and cruel to their own people, and argue that invading them is good for us and the rest of the world... but that's how we went about Iraq too. Not many people felt that invading Iraq was a matter of glory either... we were aggressors.

I just think it's an all around bad idea, and I wouldn't get behind it unless they started a war with us. But I'd never support a leader that would talk tough to them and encourage them to attack us either, just for the excuse to nuke them. I think war for glory is sick. They happen to be communist, but they are a sovereign nation and are free to determine that that is the best political ideology for themselves. Their ideology doesn't make me feel they are my enemy.
 
SheWolf said:
IDK... I don't hold the belief that war leads to glory, and I don't think fighting China would be like fighting Nazi Germany. Sure, we could try to portray them as monsters and cruel to their own people, and argue that invading them is good for us and the rest of the world... but that's how we went about Iraq too. Not many people felt that invading Iraq was a matter of glory either... we were aggressors.

I just think it's an all around bad idea, and I wouldn't get behind it unless they started a war with us. But I'd never support a leader that would talk tough to them and encourage them to attack us either, just for the excuse to nuke them. I think war for glory is sick. They happen to be communist, but they are a sovereign nation and are free to determine that that is the best political ideology for themselves. Their ideology doesn't make me feel they are my enemy.
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Just to be clear, I would not support starting a war with China "just because we feel like having a war" either.

However, it doesn't really take a lot of research to see that the Red Army faction of China's government is quite aggressive, and that there is a strong desire, backed up by long-term efforts at increasing their military capabilities and regional "presence", at replacing the USA as the dominant power in Asia and the Pacific. It seems very likely that they're going to put us to the test at some point, by means of invading Taiwan or some other US ally or protectorate, as a means of testing our resolve while at the same time (they hope) demonstrating to all of Asia and the Pacific (if we back down or they beat us) that there's a new Big Boss in the region... and that everyone had better kowtow and play along if they know what is good for them.

It is my opinion that letting them get away with it, to avoid war, would ultimately be a bad idea. It is almost certain they would not stop there. While they might not invade Australia or Japan, their long-term goals almost certainly include making them client-states who listen carefully to what the new Big Asia Boss wants and do what they're told.

The Aussies have always been good allies to the US. I would not willingly leave them swinging in the breeze to face a rising Red Chinese Empire alone. Also, Japan is dependent on us for protection to a large degree... part of the price for demilitarizing their society after WW2. We can't just walk away from that half of the globe and leave it to China.
 
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I think war revolves more around economic competition than political philosophies. The latter is just a tool to gather support from the citizenry within each country. There is always much gain to be had to a victor in war. Such strategies are implemented for the long term economic agenda of the united states. Sometimes it doesn't all pan out as planned however. If it weren't for wars fought by this country, we wouldn't have this extreme wealth, and a whole new set of "our own problems" would be a reality. I'm not pro war, just stating what I believe to be true.

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China is likely going to become the power player in Asia through economic dominance, not military force. They already have enormous influence and every day they get stronger while America gets weaker. They have no reason to abandon a successful economic strategy for a futile military effort. That doesn't even get into the fact that both countries are essential chained together economically.

That said, wars are started mostly by idiots and both China and the U.S. have plenty of brain dead militarists. The most likely conflict would be a naval clash involving control of shipping and power projection. Neither country has the capability to invade and occupy the other.
 
Goshin said:
Just to be clear, I would not support starting a war with China "just because we feel like having a war" either.

However, it doesn't really take a lot of research to see that the Red Army faction of China's government is quite aggressive, and that there is a strong desire, backed up by long-term efforts at increasing their military capabilities and regional "presence", at replacing the USA as the dominant power in Asia and the Pacific. It seems very likely that they're going to put us to the test at some point, by means of invading Taiwan or some other US ally or protectorate, as a means of testing our resolve while at the same time (they hope) demonstrating to all of Asia and the Pacific (if we back down or they beat us) that there's a new Big Boss in the region... and that everyone had better kowtow and play along if they know what is good for them.

It is my opinion that letting them get away with it, to avoid war, would ultimately be a bad idea. It is almost certain they would not stop there. While they might not invade Australia or Japan, their long-term goals almost certainly include making them client-states who listen carefully to what the new Big Asia Boss wants and do what they're told.

The Aussies have always been good allies to the US. I would not willingly leave them swinging in the breeze to face a rising Red Chinese Empire alone. Also, Japan is dependent on us for protection to a large degree... part of the price for demilitarizing their society after WW2. We can't just walk away from that half of the globe and leave it to China.
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China is going to replace us as the largest economy. The only thing we will have left on them will be military. If China wants to gain glory, why would they have to do with war? IDK... seems kind of like paranoia to me. I think the only reason we'd have in even being enticed by the idea of war with them would be to prove to ourselves we're still dominate in some area. On China's side, it will come down to their leaders and their mentality towards their own glory.
 
rathi said:
China is likely going to become the power player in Asia through economic dominance, not military force. They already have enormous influence and every day they get stronger while America gets weaker. They have no reason to abandon a successful economic strategy for a futile military effort. That doesn't even get into the fact that both countries are essential chained together economically.

That said, wars are started mostly by idiots and both China and the U.S. have plenty of brain dead militarists. The most likely conflict would be a naval clash involving control of shipping and power projection. Neither country has the capability to invade and occupy the other.
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If they want to outdo America there are many of ways they could do it, and in terms of economics they're in a better position to take the lead in a lot of areas.
 
Comparisons of militaries around the world:

China now occupies the slot Iraq used to hold, give or take a slot or two. We toasted Iraq's military in a matter of hours, counting both wars. Viet Nam fought them to a standstill not long ago, and it isn't in the Top 30 militaries.

2011 World Military Strength Ranking

World Military Strength Comparison

I get the impression that many people can't really wrap their heads around just how freaking huge the American military is, and how much more firepower our systems deliver that doesn't show up in just numbers comparisons to boot.
 
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deltabtry said:
This is true, although I did watch a NOVA program some time ago in regards to these Islands, China has already set military encampments on this disputed territory. This has be hotly contested between the countries in question but currently recognized as Philippine territory by the U,N.
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The United Nations does not officially take positions on territorial disputes save for cases brought to the International Court of Justice...
 
Just in the last few days, there was a US recon flight over the Taiwan Strait in international airspace that the PRC PLA-Air Force responded to, crossing the median line between China and Taiwan (which resulted in Taiwan scrambling jets as well). It has caused a small amount of concern here in Taiwan, though not all that much as it is something regarded as pretty normal here.
 
SheWolf said:
China is going to replace us as the largest economy.
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They are a long way away from that, even based on their own claims about their economy, which are pretty much lies. Their currency manipulations will be haunting them soon, and their banking system is a shambles, and that is on its best days.
 
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