<p>Hey if you guys are getting tired of this, don't blame me. It's not my fault people decided to reply.</p>
<p>this is ridiculous...absolutely ridiculous</p>
<p>it's not really you seth...it's ppl acting like war is inevitible and it's on its way soon...i think it's kinda funny really but i'm sure everyone knows about "U.S. Paranoia." WWII - German Americans were spies.....and so were Japanese ppl....but they were thrown in interim camps so they didn't matter......Cold War - Everyone that spoke Russian and Chinese was a commi.....now - Any1 with a brown skin and/or beard and/or Muslim is a terrorist....</p>
<p>Stop here. Both country are trying to avoid war. lets focus on our problems</p>
<p>Yes, both countries are trying to avoid war, but let's be honest:</p>
<p>The US and the PRC both have planned for war quite extensively. The 7th Fleet ain't there for show, kiddos. And those missiles fired over Taiwan? Not just fireworks.</p>
<p>WELL...the U.S. has carriers and cruisers in a majority of the worlds' waters...and I do believe a fleet is quite intimidating...they just need it there so PRC doesn't think about trying to invade Taiwan again....but it's not going to happen...we've got ships in many waters, but it doesn't mean we're preparing for war.....</p>
<p>We're always preparing for war. We're always preparing our allies for war. A standing army by definition is readiness for war. Oh, and the PRC is definitely stepping to the beat of a drum of war.</p>
<p>The US isn't exactly tip-toeing around the matter, either: </p>
<p>I'd like to believe that we're not heading straight into a new Cold War, but the Magic 8 Ball says otherwise.</p>
<p>Ah, but you're forgetting tha pact we made with China recently....we're in an extensive trade agreement and are working with the Chinese government for deterrence of war...we've also made many executive agreements, and the UN constantly has the few communist nations in check...if they step out of line the "Allies"...if you'd like to call us that...are ready for war, but we're by no means expecting one...our military technology can be surpassed by no1....we're very well off in our intellegence systems and our weaponry...like i said...the only thing of ours that isn't the "best" is the Apache, and a new prototype is released every year.</p>
<p>You're missing the point though. Militaries have postures for each potential threat. Both the US and the PRC have fairly aggressive postures toward each other in military training.</p>
<p>In fact, when it comes to large sustained war, the Joint Chiefs have discussed replacing Russia with China as the big threat, merely because it has more potential as one. </p>
<p>There is a two-pronged approach to US-China relations, at least if we look at what the policy makers are doing: Economic involvement, strategic containment. Sure, we're trading, but the Seventh Fleet remains battle ready at a moment's notice.</p>
<p>Right now China is the least of our worries...we can monitor a set nation easily, since we know what we're working with and it's a distinguishable threat...terrorism is the big thing right now....no set boundaries, no particular nation...we can't tell friend from foe....China's not really a threat at this point...we have enough military might stationed around the area, that if they tried to push for expansion, we could halt them before anything serious happened....terrorism cannot be monitored so easily...we don't know where they could be, who they are, and what their plans are, because various groups have different priorities.</p>
<p>That, according to my boss here (who writes on this stuff out here in DC) is the common belief.</p>
<p>However, it's simply not what the Pentagon or policymakers believe. Terrorism is not a "linchpin issue" because it doesn't harm our interests as much as a growing China.</p>