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Oops! LOL! The Chicoms, with much hullabaloo, launched a new nuclear sub...and it promptly sunk! It went down in shallow water, just off the dock, so it can be readily raised and salvaged, but what the eff happened!? Doesn't exactly inspire confidence in Chinese sub-building. Imagine if you're part of the crew now training to man that sub, and you learn...say what!? it effing sunk!??
Chicoms are really pushing India and a war, even a limited one along the border, appears imminent. China has invaded a sovereign nation, Bhutan, which is a small country sitting on the border between India and China. Most critical for India is Bhutan sits astride the "chicken neck" which is a narrow strip of land that connects main India to its eastern province. The Chicoms have ignored complaints and protests by the tiny Bhutan government and has invaded Bhutan and have built military bases, roads, and other infrastructure. If Bhutan were to formally ask for assistance to kick the Chicoms out, India would be hard pressed not to accommodate them. Tension is rising.
This situation is heating up. India has been massing units near Bhutan for a possible showdown with the Chicoms. Bhutan has asked India to intervene on their behalf...diplomatically...as Bhutan is a peace-loving society wishing to avoid a war, at all costs. That's part of their problem as they have already essentially told the Chicoms they will not fight to defend their territory. That's all the big bully China needed to hear, thus the on-going incursion.Originally Posted by dawg80
India's hands are tied, except to do what China is doing, effectively "invade" Bhutan themselves and establish their own defensive works and bases. Bhutan does not want India in their country either, but China is invading, ignoring all diplomatic pleas to withdraw, and either India matches them or allow China to seize Bhutan. This is exactly what China did when it invaded and then annexed Tibet. Hardly a shot was fired when Red China invaded and seized Tibet in 1950. Then a revolt against the Chicoms by Tibetan rebels, in 1959, ended after a brief war. The world shrugged then and is shrugging now as Bhutan is being swallowed by China. Of course, the world hardly blinked when Hiter invaded Austria and Czechoslovakia, prior to his invasion of Poland.
India is a "big boy" capable of taking care of itself. They can certainly match China, blow for blow, even in an all-out war. The Bhutan situation is not registering at all on world meters...the UN refused to even talk about it, marking it off the agenda at their latest meeting. China has veto power in the UN anyway, so there is no need to waste time discussing it. But, since India has been in, then out, and now apparently back in Trump's anti-China Quads, this Bhutan mess might be the ticket to keep India firmly onboard with the US and our allies. It was rather easy for India to dismiss China's bullying of Taiwan and The Philippines, but now that they have a chip in the game, they should see the whole thing in a different light.
Probably should “bump” this thread up. China is pissed Trump won. Let’s shut those commie basterds down (quote from back to school).
Saw where the Chicoms funneled $1.3 trillion out to their provincial governments, specifically to boost small and mid-size businesses. The Chinese economy is struggling, and based on some reports terming it as "struggling" is being kind. Some pundits claim China is entering a depression. They are in a recession now. Trump's tariffs aimed at China will exasperate their economic woes, so the Chicoms want to avoid those if they can. There are reports of all kinds of anti-government protests and lots of unrest across China. We KNOW that communism does NOT work! It never has, it never will. Eventually a communist economy consumes itself since it lacks true economic growth. China is unique given its cultural norms such that the population is content living simple, humble lives. But even there the people start looking around, realize they have worked hard all their lives, and they and their children and their grandchildren are stuck where they have always been. That's because the very inefficient commie system has to siphon off the product of all that hard work to support the central government, leaving nothing for those who produced it.
On top of their lousy system, the Chicoms have over-spent their military budget, now they have all these brand-new toys, aircraft carriers, subs (some that sink while tied to a dock, LOL!), and hundreds of ships, planes, tanks, etc. and for what? They have built a military large enough to sustain themselves in an extended world war, so, will they use it, or allow it to rust in place? China's only hope of avoiding total economic collapse is to "participate" in a world war and come out on the winning side. But, if they start such a war, they will be on the wrong side and lose bigly! And I don't see any way for China to be on our side and win a world war...who would we be fighting if the US and China are allied? I suppose Russia and some middle-eastern (namely Iran) country could be a common enemy, but that war wouldn't last but a month. I guess China could then seize all of eastern Russia, including Siberia, and all those natural resources would bolster China's sinking economy.
I think Trump will meet with Xi again, lay down the law, and we'll see China behaving itself for the next four years, waiting for the next very weak POTUS to get in there.
While the world is focused on Syria and Ukraine, the slimy Chicoms are not at rest. They are in the middle of a navy training session having sent 100+ ships, of various kinds, in a dress rehearsal on how they will blockade and invade Taiwan. Of course, while the Chicoms practice their proposed evil invasion we, and Taiwan, and our allies are getting to see what they are likely to do, which ships and what tactics they will use should they ever be foolish enough to try it for real. A Taiwan Defense Department spokesman said since they can never know for sure what is a training session and what might be real, all of Taiwan was put on full alert, fighter jets scrambled, leave cancelled for all military personnel, and the Civil Defense system gets to practice their role of protecting civilians. Then afterwards Taiwan can review how they performed and make improvements.
China is a true threat to world peace, and it's way past time the US and our allies take steps to clip their wings.
Now that the US has a real president, Commander-in-Chief, again, India is making overtures to return to a US/West-first stance. Of course, this is important as it pertains to China. Seeing good news coming out of India. The biggest news is India agreeing to fortify an island that guards the Malacca Strait. The Chicoms are going ballistic at the prospects. The island is part of a chain owned by India and thus far, India has refused to fortify it or allow her allies, namely the US, to fortify it because they did not want to provoke the Chicoms. Seems things are changing. Stay tuned for more news on this.
Trivia question, which country has the overall largest army in the world, including current standing army, and a trained reserve?
Most people would guess China or India, and they both have large armies, top 3 in the world, and the potential to build the largest army in the world given their immense populations. But, neither have the largest army in the world presently. The answer....
Vietnam. Yep, little ole Vietnam. They have a population of 100 million, roughly 1/3 of our population. But a full 58% of its population is in their army. Yes, a trained army of 58 million soldiers, sailors, and airmen. Their reserves are all trained and report to camp for additional training and updates on weapon-use and clear instructions on their duties should Vietnam go to war. These reservists keep their uniforms at home and belong to assigned units, companies and battalions. In the event of war they can report for duty in less than 24 hours. Vietnam maintains a standing army of about 700,000 and they are updating their equipment with very modern weapons.
Vietnam is like that tough little terrier standing up to a bully rottweiler...China. The Chicoms seem terrified of Vietnam and have only backed down from potential confrontations with Vietnam, even as they bully other countries, including India. Recently China withdrew troops and engineers from a South China Sea island because Vietnam filed a protest claiming that island as one of theirs. China has not done that even as Russia, Japan, and The Philippines have all filed similar complaints over disputed islands. Vietnam has been busy building up their own man-made islands on coral reefs and "sunken" islands and have occupied and fortified 5 such islands as a direct challenge to China. Vietnam has also been building up their navy, recently launching three more frigates.
Vietnam wants an open, friendly relationship with the US and our allies. Trade between Vietnam and the US has reached $120 billion annually and is steadily growing. The harder the bullies of the world: Chicoms, Putin, Persia, North Korea, push, the harder the world pushes back.
China is running a nearly $1 trillion annual trade surplus, the lion's share of that curtesy of the US consumer. This has to change. We are funding our devout enemy, sworn to destroy us.
The concern: China is building a huge military. For instance, they have 90+ submarines, and before the end of 2026 will have 6 aircraft carriers. Most of this is designed to operate regionally, mostly in the South China Sea and East China Sea, and the nearby Pacific Ocean area. But, they already have 12 subs, nuclear powered, that can operate globally.
The better news: except for those 12 subs, the rest are diesel-powered subs incapable of deep-water operation. They are noisy, easily detectable, and represent only a minor threat to the US Navy and our allies. The biggest concern would be "wolf pack" attacks whereby the Chicoms sent 20-30 subs on suicide attack missions. In such a case it is possible several of those 30 subs would survive to get close enough to do some damage to our fleet.
As for those soon-to-be 6 carriers, they are greatly inferior and carry greatly inferior planes. One of our Ford class super carriers could take on all six of their carriers in a battle and emerge the victor. We will have 11 super carriers and another 16 support/escort carriers by the time China gets its sixth carrier.
China's military is designed and is really only capable of being a threat to the US and our allies close to their home shores. Their latest carrier cannot stay out to sea for more than 2-3 weeks and has to return to its home base on the Chinese mainland for maintenance, refueling, and resupply. Ditto with their diesel-powered subs.
All that said, we still don't want to keep feeding this beast. The Chicoms are not our friends, and they don't want to be. Need to do something about that trade deficit with China.
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