U.S.: China Rethinking Military Strategy

[Kadie]

U.S.: China Rethinking Military Strategy

25 minutes ago Add White House

By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer

WASHINGTON - The speed with which U.S. ground forces captured Baghdad and the prominent role played in Iraq (news - web sites) by U.S. commandos, have led China to rethink how it could counteract the American military in the event of a confrontation over Taiwan, the Pentagon (news - web sites) says.

The Chinese also believe, partly from its assessment of the Bush administration's declared war on terrorism, that the United States is increasingly likely to intervene in a conflict over Taiwan or other Chinese interests, according to the Pentagon analysis.

"Authoritative commentary and speeches by senior officials suggest that U.S. actions over the past decade ... have reinforced fears within the Chinese leadership that the United States would appeal to human rights and humanitarian concerns to intervene, either overtly or covertly," said the Pentagon..

The assessments are in an annual Defense Department report to Congress on Chinese military power. The Pentagon took the unusual step of releasing the report late Saturday night.


more... http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040531/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_china_4

[mike_c]

1. can you say "mushroom cloud...?"

I think I need a drink now.

[MirrorAshes]

2. And so it begins...

So, it seems we've managed to destabalize pretty much the entire world with our misadventure in Iraq. Way to go, George.

[newyawker99]

14. Hi MirrorAshes!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Aidoneus]

3. "human rights and humanitarian concerns"

:eyes:

[cornfedyank]

5. free tibet

some body better do some thing. we can not afford to arms race the world. it is simply too great a waste of resources.

[PaDUer]

8. The twins must love it..

since one received a degree in this.

[Kinkistyle]

4. Whats up China's butt?

Exactly what do they see wrong with this sparkling foreign policy: "Either you show your citizenship some humanity and respect or we will be forced to come in, drop bombs on your heads and imprison/torture/rape you....and steal your oil." ? :eyes:

[54anickel]

6. Interesting take I came across while digging up China's role in the fundie

belief of Armageddon. Didn't China and Russia just recently (past week or two) work out the issues for the Caspian pipeline? Paranoia is setting in!


http://www.americanfreepress.net/11_07_03/Countdown_to_Armageddon/countdown_to_armageddon.html

snip>
The gloves are off, and with America and Israel still unable to steal any oil from Iraq because someone keeps blowing the pipelines, Russian and Chinese firepower buildup suddenly slammed the door firmly shut on Caspian oil reserves in the old Soviet republics. For more than a decade American oil multinationals have been conducting “joint ventures” in the former Soviet republics bordering the Caspian Sea, with the stated intent of pumping stolen crude oil out through Turkey, then on to western markets. Now this route has been blocked permanently, and America is in no position to do anything about it, because a large part of the U.S. conventional army is currently bogged down in Iraq, being shot at and killed on a daily basis.

For many who have been watching this region as a confrontation between the United States and Israel versus Russia largely over the control of the biggest gas and oil deposits in the world, a new front has been opened.

As a response to this checkmate, Sharon recently visited Putin on Nov. 3 to meet with him concerning the nuclear issue in Iran. Quickly, Sharon permitted Palestinians to return to their jobs and eased their travel restrictions.

Since the end of the Gorbachev era, the Russian oligarchs, nearly all Jewish by ethnicity (with the noticeable exception of Vladimir Potanin), have controlled nearly all key sectors of the Russian economy. This, of course, includes Russia’s major ace-in-the-hole, oil and gas. The giant YUKOS conglomerate is presently one of the largest oil companies in the world, valued at about $40 billion.

[kalian]

7. I would NEVER under-estimate the Chinese....

they can wage war upon the US on many dimensions...one of which is
economic...they OWN our sorry asses.

[Kadie]

12. It is amazing how much stuff we use daily comes from China

Seems like half the stuff you pick up at the store has a Made in China sticker on it.

[bemildred]

9. "The Chinese also believe"

What? Did they give interviews?
This is horsecrap.

[lanparty]

10. They could start by ...

Building a Navy. When China builds an Aircraft Carrier, we should start worrying.

China's defense strategy thus far has relied on sheer numbers and their willingness to create waves of millions of cannon fodder soldiers. It's a totalitarian state and they would have ZERO problem sending their troops out unequiped. They still have VAST numbers in reserve.

The fact of the matter is that we don't have the "stamina" to engage in direct war with the Chinese. They forced us to back down in Korea, they'll do it again.

Taiwan will likely have to remain amiguous until China is finally freed of it's communist dictatorship.

[w4rma]

11. And that was before China industrialized... (nt)

[daleo]

13. The U.S. and whose army?

Really, most of the troops seem a bit tied up lately.

[leesa]

15. I'll bet they are. They can take the whole enchilada after what Bush

has done to our military and credibility. We haven't been weaker internationally that before the first world war. Thanks greedy Bush.

[tlcandie]

16. Okay. so this admin always tells us ahead of time what is up.. if

we pay attention. WHAT are they trying to say to us now?

From the article...

<snip>
The Pentagon took the unusual step of releasing the report late Saturday night.
<snip>

Smoke and mirrors...it isn't what they say, but it's somewhere hidden in there.

So, we are looking for higher prices for imported goods from China or a ban to the US?

I'm too tired to get it, but there is something hidden here and I'm sure someone can catch this whose wits are sharper than mine at this time!

EDIT:
<snip>
Bush's comments to Chinese President Hu Jintao, released by China's Foreign Ministry, appeared to be an attempt to soothe Beijing's anger over Washington's decision to permit Taiwanese Vice President Annette Lu to stop in two U.S. cities before and after a Latin America tour.
<snip>

So, what is up with this visit to the US? Will Lu ask to stay in the US and have them intervene on Taiwan's behalf? :think:

EDIT #2:
BEIJING: China blames US for worsening Taiwan ties
http://www.sinolinx.com/frame/sinolinx.php?XML=internetnews7421mkw90sinolinxnewsfeed8834vvx345751&url=http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/World/20040601084044/Article/indexb_html

<snip>
The United States was lashed after criticising China for developing a variety of "credible military options" to prevent Taiwan from achieving independence.

The US Department of Defence also warned in a new report that this included tools to discourage the US from coming to the island's aid in a conflict with the mainland.

China has approximately 500 short-range ballistic missiles deployed in Nanjing military district and pointed at Taiwan.
<snip>

<snip>
Some of these weapons are believed to be capable of hitting US military bases in Okinawa, Japan. — AFP
<snip>

EDIT #3:
China makes oil discovery

http://www.sinolinx.com/frame/sinolinx.php?XML=internetnews7421mkw90sinolinxnewsfeed8834vvx345751&url=http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=152w2761%26Section=Industries%26page=Oil%20%26%20Gas%26channel=International%20Oil%20News%26objectid=A03FB4A7-CB9B-11D5-86AC00D0B74A0D7C

<snip>
BEIJING, May 31, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- One of China's state-run energy companies said Monday it had made the largest oil reserve discoveries in the last decade in the country's northwest.

The China National Petroleum Corp. was quoted in the China Daily as saying the oilfield, located in the Xifeng region of the Erdos Basin in Gansu province, had proven reserves of 108 million tons.

A senior geologist at CNPC's exploration research institute called the site a medium-sized oilfield that could have an annual production capacity between 2 million and 3 million tons. Initial oil production at Xifeng will start at 930,000 tons, a figure the company hopes to increase to 2 million tons by 2006.

The Erdos Basin extends over five Chinese provinces: Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shanxi, and Shaanxi. It is covered by a fine, loosely packed and highly unstable soil known as loess. CNPC believes oil and gas resources in the Erdos to be 2.85 billion tons.
<snip>

Add to this, the fact that China is looking to Canada and France to develop OTHER energy source technology since they are not heavily laden with oil/gas distrubution infrastructures.