Economists predict that China will become the world’s largest economy by 2030 or 2035 (to be eclipsed by India which has a younger demographic profile by 2050). So it is inevitable that that China will be a strong competitor for resources like oil. This safe prediction shoots a big hole in the neo-conservatives’ “Plan for a New American Century” which calls for the U.S. military to be used as an instrument to spread U.S. economic and political domination over the globe. So naturally China is taking big time exception to the Pentagon’s long term plans which have been developed under Donald Rumsfeld’s stewardship – himself a neo-conservative. No one would argue that the United States has to be prepared for future exigencies, but blatant militarism is perceived as a threat no only by China but also by many inside this country including me.
It should also be noted that China currently owns a significant and growing share of U.S. foreign debt, and China is currently the United States’ number one trading partner. Juxtapose those facts with the prediction that Chinese military might may threaten U.S. supremacy, and we have antagonistic forces at work within the Bush administration’s China policy. Of course, the Bush administration uses a future Chinese threat as a reason for increasing the U.S. military budget every year. Is a news arms race with China inevitable?
Beijing protests US military report singling out China as military threat
Beijing protests US military report singling out China as military threat
02.07.2006, 06:07 AM
BEIJING (AFX) – Beijing protested against a US Pentagon report that singled out China as a potential threat to Washington’s military supremacy and said it had made diplomatic representations over the issue.
The report ‘made groundless accusations over the normal national defense development of China, interferes with China’s internal affairs (and) plays up the theory of a China military threat,’ foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan was quoted as saying in a report by Agence France-Presse.
‘We are opposed to this and have made solemn representations to the US side.’
The four-yearly report on the US military outlook that was released last week, entitled the Quadrennial Defense Review, noted China’s steady but secretive military build-up since 1996.
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Look, this whole thing is a propaganda ploy to recreate a new Cold War, with, co-incidently, infinite pork for war contractors.
Consider the timeline: 2030!
We are in Peak Oil now. That means that world-wide oil production will never be higher than it is currently, and demand has just risen above production capacity. Something will have to give.
Actually several things.
One of them is the American political economy, which is based on oil. Finding a new basis will not be easy, and wasting our minds, talents, and resources on a new arms race will just accelerate our destruction.
Is this really what we want?
Think it through.
You know that CSN song with the lyrics “Military madness is killing my country” by Graham Nash? That’s how I’ve felt for sometime now. We have crossed the line into fascism. Money buys access to our political representatives. We have the best government money can buy. Susan Hu says she is “dry” of ideas about how to snap Americans back to their senses. Obviously big corporate media plays a large part in drugging the masses.
I know about Gaia and love our mother Earth. I read several of your diaries (at least the intros) and ascertain that you are concerned with our fate. I hope we can avoid calamity. Wonder where the best and the brightest, the real experts, lawyers with intelligence and integrity, honest politicians, influential publishers, truely spiritual people, and the long awaited groundswell of enlightenment are?
It is nice to hear your voice. I fight it out daily on The Augusta (Georgia) Chronicle bulletin board (called The Forum. It is a bastion of right wing conservatism, but that is who we are tring to pursuade. You are welcome to check it out. The responses I get, no matter how negative or trite, really spur me on. The right wing kneejerk reactionaries have no idea how much I rely on them. Peace.
The Augusta Chronicle bulletin board
Your title created ambiguity for me that your text did not resolve.
One thing that is dangerous about the media, and makes it hard to debate, is that they get their underlying facts wrong, and make unstated assumptions, all with an eye to steering you to a pre-ordained conclusion.
So you don’t want to argue merely on their own terms, but, show how their terms are self-serving and dishonest.
The right wing kneejerk reactionaries have no idea how much I rely on them.
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Keep up the good work!
America will change, after disaster has struck. But at that point the media will try to run with a new set of lies. So we need now to anticipate that, and clue people in to the next con.
with China? They are the ones giving us all the money to support our bankrupt nation. If we have an arms race with them, they may need the money they are giving us to buy weapons.