Lindy, I agree and I've wondered whether there aren't two very divided factions in our government.
One faction sees and is alarmed by the exponentially growing risks posed by China and her rapidly expanding military, mever mind her demographically unabalanced population heavily skewed towards military aged young men, the result of decades of a one child policy. The other faction has embraced another agenda, and is focused narrowily on the threat they perceive from the growth of Islamofascism in the middle east. Occasionally we see public manifestation of skirmishes between the two, no doubt reflecting a much deeper philosophical rift in our government and military.
Does the latter faction understand that while radical Islam has many causes, it is also being used as a proxy by China and Russia, who have been busy in past years creating economic and military ties and allegiances with nations like Pakistan, countries in Muslim Africa, South America and the former Soviet satellites?
Iran is playing the same role as that of Cuba during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Ahmadinejad is unbelievably cocky, because China and Russia have shown their clear support for Iran, and have no doubt helped arm it. At times he almost seems to be taunting the United States, practically inviting a confrontation. If the US takes the bait, it will be walking into a trap. That is my strong belief.
Like you I am appalled that our overextended forces in the middle east have left us dangerously exposed and underequipped at home. This is exactly the kind of situation that presents an opportunity for calculating nations harboring ambitions of altering the world's balance of power.
Can we truly be this unaware, or have be chosen to believe our own myth of our invincibility and impregnability? I have to believe there are level heads in DC who are alarmed. When Katrina struck, we didn't even hae the needed national guard to help evacuate the area...even NG jeeps and trucks were being deployed in Iraq, and not available in a time of national crisis.
This cannot continue!
China has been using the vast surplus she's accumulated to rapidly expand her navy and military, and is now planning a joint space venture with Russia. If we don't wake up quickly, we will be playing a game of catch-up in an uncomfortable new landscape and a timetable not of our choosing.
Sometimes I think that the threat increases with every passing week, as China may feel that she has a limited window of opportunity to strike before we deploy a new generation of space based weapons, and a new administration is elected who may deal with the situation more aggressively. As I said in my previous post, our developing economic crisis disturbs me for not only the obvious reasons, but because I know from history it presents an opportunity for a surprise assault.
The Chinese are skilled students of Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher who wrote "The Art of War". The opportunities presented by the current US dilemma are exactly the kind which he would suggest taking advantage of.
From Chapter Six, "The Art Of War"
Chapter Six: Weakness and Strength
Sun-tzu said:
Generally the one who first occupies the battlefield awaiting the enemy is at ease;
the one who comes later and rushes into battle is fatigued. ?
Therefore those skilled in warfare move the enemy, and are not moved by the enemy. ?
Getting the enemy to approach on his own accord is a matter of showing him advantage;
stopping him from approaching is a matter of showing him harm. ?
Therefore, if the enemy is at ease, be able to exhaust him;
if the enemy is well fed, be able to starve him;
if the enemy is settled, be able to move him;
appear at places where he must rush to defend, and rush to places where he least expects. ?
To march over a thousand li without becoming distressed, march over where the enemy is not present. ?
To be certain to take what you attack, attack where the enemy cannot defend. ?
To be certain of safety when defending, defend where the enemy cannot attack. ?
Therefore, against those skilled in attack, the enemy does not know where to defend; ?
against those skilled in defense, the enemy does not know where to attack. ?
Subtle! Subtle!
They become formless.
Mysterious! Mysterious!
They become soundless.
Therefore, they are the masters of the enemy's fate. ?
To achieve an advance that cannot be hampered, rush to his weak points.
To achieve a withdrawal that cannot be pursued, depart with superior speed. ?
Therefore, if we want to do battle, even if the enemy is protected by high walls and deep moats, he cannot but do battle, because we attack what he must rescue.
If we do not want to do battle, even if we merely draw a line on the ground, he will not do battle, because we divert his movements. ?
Therefore, if we can make the enemy show his position while we are formless, we will be at full force while the enemy is divided. ?
If our army is at full force and the enemy is divided, then we will attack him at ten times his strength. ?
Therefore, we are many and the enemy few.
If we attack our many against his few, the enemy will be in dire straits. ?
The place of battle must not be made known to the enemy.
If it is not known, then the enemy must prepare to defend many places. ?
If he prepares to defend many places, then the forces will be few in number. ?
Therefore, if he prepares to defend the front, the back will be weak.
If he prepares to defend the back, the front will be weak.
If he prepares to defend the left, the right will be weak.
If he prepares to defend the right, the left will be weak.
If he prepares to defend everywhere, everywhere will be weak. ?
The few are those preparing to defend against others, the many are those who make others prepare to defend against them. ?
Therefore, if one knows the place of battle and the day of battle, he can march a thousand li and do battle. ?
If one does not know the place of battle and the day of battle, then his left cannot aid his right, and his right cannot aid his left;
his front cannot aid his back, and his back cannot aid his front. ?
How much less so if he is separated by tens of li, or even a few li. ?
Based on my calculations, though Yueh's troops were many, what advantage was this to them in respect to victory?
Therefore I say, victory can be achieved. ?
Though the enemy is many, he can be prevented from doing battle.
Therefore, know the enemy's plans and calculate their strengths and weaknesses. ?
Provoke him, to know his patterns of movement. ?
Determine his position, to know the ground of death and of life. ?
Probe him, to know where he is strong and where he is weak. ?
The ultimate skill is to take up a position where you are formless. ?
If you are formless, the most penetrating spies will not be able to discern you, or the wisest counsels will not be able to do calculations against you. ?
With formation, the army achieves victories yet they do not understand how.
Everyone knows the formation by which you achieved victory, yet no one knows the formations by which you were able to create victory. ?
Therefore, your strategy for victories in battle is not repetitious, and your formations in response to the enemy are endless. ?
The army's formation is like water.
The water's formation avoids the high and rushes to the low. ?
So an army's formation avoids the strong and rushes to the weak. ?
Water's formation adapts to the ground when flowing.
So then an army's formation adapts to the enemy to achieve victory. ?
Therefore, an army does not have constant force, or have constant formation.
Those who are able to adapt and change in accord with the enemy and achieve victory are called divine. ?
Therefore, of the five elements, none a constant victor, of the four seasons, none has constant position;
the sun has short and long spans, and the moon waxes and wanes. ?
