Panama Canal Expansion

[GDS_Starfury]

are you high?  they couldnt support it by force of arms if they wanted to.  China is and will be a regional power for decades to come.  thats just the simple reality of their position.

[Windigo]

are you high?  they couldnt support it by force of arms if they wanted to.  China is and will be a regional power for decades to come.  thats just the simple reality of their position.

ever look at how many 'advisors' they have in Africa??? You think its just about present day military strength???  Shit... read Sun Tzu again... Chinese play the long game

[GDS_Starfury]

they can advise all they want.  look at how many advisors Cuba had in Angola and Russia had in Egypt.  if you think Im talking about present day strength then you should reread what I wrote.

[GDS_Starfury]

interlopers may come and go but this hemisphere is Americas.

[Windigo]

they can advise all they want.  look at how many advisors Cuba had in Angola and Russia had in Egypt.  if you think Im talking about present day strength then you should reread what I wrote.

The US cannot economically support its current armed forces levels.... what do you think the military in 20 years will be like???   The long view.... baby

[GDS_Starfury]

you're also making the mistake of thinking our economy will be the same in 20 years or that our Navy still wont be the most capable in the world.  youre also comparing the most advanced country on the planet with a country that has a hard time copying a 20 year old Russian fighter or getting a 30 year old carrier operational.

good luck with that.

[Windigo]

you're also making the mistake of thinking our economy will be the same in 20 years or that our Navy still wont be the most capable in the world.  youre also comparing the most advanced country on the planet with a country that has a hard time copying a 20 year old Russian fighter or getting a 30 year old carrier operational.

good luck with that.

china doesn't need an army navy or airforce, to do what its doing..... like you said in another thread.... there's no substitute for experience

[GDS_Starfury]

then you ignore all of the financial problems that China sweeps under the rug.  any way you slice it youre vastly overrating Chinas ability.  the Chinese long game has kept them as a regional power for the last 3000 years. 
maybe they dont play it very well.

[GDS_Starfury]

The US cannot economically support its current armed forces levels....

and yes, the US can support its current force levels.  its a matter of politics not money.

[LongBlade]

All is not well in the middle kingdom.

Star is correct. The Chinese would face a helluva fight trying to take Taiwan. They have zero ability to force project further.

30 years from now it's doubtful their dictatorship will still be in power. Their economy is much less stable than anyone has been led to believe.

[Staggerwing]

I usually don't get in the middle of these things (well, sometimes I do...) but I happen to agree that there is something very rotten in the Chinese economy. They have poured so much capital into infrastructure projects which bring insufficient economic return (while benefiting certain individuals handsomely) that sooner or later they will suddenly run out of money to spend and the great implosion will begin. China seems to be run very much like a dysfunctional multidivisional corporation where various departments spend as much time intriguing against each other as they do trying to compete with their actual business rivals. Middle managers are feathering their nests while upper level players are angling for top jobs and every one is trying to claim a chair before the music stops while the PLA has been thoroughly infiltrated by get-rich-now types who are no more than robber barons in uniform.

[Windigo]

The US cannot economically support its current armed forces levels....

and yes, the US can support its current force levels.  its a matter of politics not money.

you know the cuts in all other programs the US would need and the kind of economic growth it'd need to sustain current levels? Where are you going to find that serious coin?
and you're not reading true and square my friend - I said "foreign affairs trip wire" ... that does not mean military action... in case you haven't noticed -

[Windigo]

All is not well in the middle kingdom.

Star is correct. The Chinese would face a helluva fight trying to take Taiwan. They have zero ability to force project further.

30 years from now it's doubtful their dictatorship will still be in power. Their economy is much less stable than anyone has been led to believe.

as I said to Star 'foreign affairs trip wire' does not equate to military action, read and comprehend more, react less

[GDS_Starfury]

comprehend more Windy.
a foreign affairs tripwire needs a military component to back it up or make the other person back off.  the Chinese dont and wont have that ability for a loooong time.

as for the money for the military... easy.  time to crack down on procurement and r&d waste.  a pipe dream I know but the money is there.  it would also help if our allies actually tried to maintain credible military's.

[GDS_Starfury]

keep in mind your talking about a 'trip wire' involving a duel ocean canal that competes with the Panama Canal and all the cargo, oil, fees and strategic flexibility that goes with it.  if someone wants to use that as a trip wire they better have the muscle to back up their ambitions and hold it.  the Chinese dont, its our hemisphere.
they can suck it.