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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bill who wrote (10203)	4/2/2001 10:40:56 PM
From: Dayuhan	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 82486

I've known a fair number of officers, and I know many recently retired officers, mainly pilots. I've yet to meet one that feels seriously threatened by the Chinese. For that matter, I have yet to meet a Taiwanese - and I know many - who feels seriously threatened. Do you remember the last round of saber-rattling over Taiwan, during the last Taiwanese election? Do you remember the macho frenzy that descended on American conservatives, with all manner of force calculations and scenario development, all assuming that the Chinese were about to let loose the dogs of war? Do you remember that I said all along that it was all a political exercise, that the Chinese had no intention of attacking Taiwan, and that it would be back to business as usual within weeks after the election, no matter who won? Which is what happened, and what anybody familiar with the situation knew would happen. China is not about to attack Taiwan. China has no reason to attack Taiwan; they stand to lose far more than they stand to gain, and they are not irrational. Rumsfeld's recommendation that containing China become the strategic focus of U.S. military doctrine is insanity; why try to contain something that shows no sign of expanding? What we are seeing in Washington is not a reasoned response to a valid threat, it is a bunch of cold-war retreads looking for an enemy to confront. In the process, they hope to gratify their little egos and gain access to more of our money. The situation in Russia is far more threatening. The Russian government is extremely unstable and the populace is bitterly disappointed: they thought that ditching Communism would bring them Levis and Rock 'n Roll, instead they got crime, unemployment, and poverty. They are ripe for a leader who will "make Russia great again". That would be a real threat, but it is a threat demanding a political and economic response, not a military response, so it is not much use in the effort of the defense politicians to advance their importance.