12.7% of what size of budget?
How much are those Russian subs and ships going to cost China, as well as those advanced aircraft and the support infrastructure to train the pilots and maintain the aircraft?? Increasing military spending at the cost of domestic economic programs is a recipe for internal turmoil.
And all of this happening at the same time that they are discussing increasing their budget deficit in order to drag their economy out of recession and maintain the doctored and inflated statistics of 7% economic growth.
Are we ready? I would say that the US is NEVER truly ready for war. But compared to the Chinese military, we are more than ready.
Numbers may count if and when, god forbid, the US engages in a land war with China. However, due to the fact that China has to invade Taiwan and maintain an open sea and air route to supply their invasion force, while at the same time US attack subs and naval carriers forces, as well as aircraft operating from Japan and S. Korea, interdict and destroy there logistical network.
Then we enter into the infrastructure attacks that we'd have to pursue, whether it be mining Chinese harbors, destroying their power generation capability with smart bombs and Kit 2 "chaff" warheads that short out their power grids.
And then we organize a world-wide economic embargo against China which shouldn't be too difficult given the precedent Bejing represent in it "Lebenraum" and "Germanization" policy wherein they claim the right to represent Chinese populations throughout the region. Such an economic embargo could possibly lead to internal strife within their military and business sectors.
And unless the Chinese leaders opt to use the nuclear option, which would mean the destruction of both sides, they would have to attack the US via the ocean.
I, personally, don't think it will get that far. But if it does, I'm fatalistic about it since I would rather deal with China now than 20 years from now should their totalitarian government continue to exist.
It's a game of global geo-political "chicken".
Regards,
Ron |
