Repeat:
We spend more on our military than the next 12 nations combined, including China and russia. that's a simple fact.
Russia is surrounded by former client states that are, in many cases, hostile to the former Mother Country. Russia now has one region with access to the Atlantic-and that's above the Arctic Circle. The government has trouble paying ANY salary to many of it's soldiers and sailors.
China is a different story. Their technology still lags and their armed services are ill-trained and have poor discipline, but their trying. Without a doubt China will trying and be the major influence militarily and economically in Asia. We're going to have to form the same alliances we did to counter Soviet power in Europe. We can't finance a defense of Asia by ourselves-growing economies of Asia, Japan and India are going to have to pony up. Japan already is.
Besides, China is investing in domestic infrastructure much like the US did during the 1950s and 1960s when it invested in the Interstate Highway system. Remember, that was Ike Eisenhower''s baby, born out of his attempts in the 1920s to travel coast-tocoast in a military convoy.
Investment in defense doesn't always mean fighters, bombers and other weapons systems.
There is the possibility that the next war might be fought without ever firing a shot. Our electric and communications infrastructure is such that hacking could be the main weapon of the next war. Are we doing enough to protect that network from enemies and natural disasters?
But the generals usually fight using technology of the last war. Meaning that we're probably not doing enough to protect against the real threats. And that doesn't include the threat posed from solar radiation.
We have enough jet fighters and bombers-even our 70's vintage aircraft is superior to most of what Russia and China has. A huge land army will probably not be needed should we go to war with China or Russia.
Besides, the concept of what war is has changed so much since WWII. Big land and naval battles are a thing of the past. the Cold War paradigm of low-intensity proxy conflicts may even be dated.
I'm not sure what they're doing in the DOD but they are constantly investigating what types of conflict the future might hold. I'm sure they have a better handle than you or me on what may be the future of warfare.
Calling me an ignorant fool isn't a response-it's an insult. Try stating why you think I'm wrong in some detail rather than insulting me. Saying that Putin has evil intent isn't enough. He may be trying to rebuilt his military, but he's finding the money to do so scare. Right now, Putin has his hands full trying to keep his southern fleet in Ukrainian waters.
I could easily throw a few insults your way but I'd rather discuss things civilly. But, as I've shown in my responses to those who refuse to do so, I can go dirty for dirty. It's your choice.
SchoonerPete wrote:
You're an ignorant fool! What do you think Putin has been doing? He's rebuilding their military. What is going to happen, if we continue the downward path we're taking, is that Russia will control the Atlantic and China will control the Pacific. Russia has problems with it's Navy, but it has been quietly rebuilding it.