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I'm getting some serious Cold War vibes from this article: Communist country tries to get into an arms race with the US, has to choose between their preferred e

I'm getting some serious Cold War vibes from this article: Communist country tries to get into an arms race with the US, has to choose between their preferred economic strategy and military competitiveness, ends up trying to have both. The big difference I see with China is that they have a massive booming economy. Unlike the USSR which failed to stay productive, they might be able to pull it off. But the "air power" advancements in the article seem a bit underwhelming to me. A new fighter jet, a new air-to-air missile, and another unnamed air-to-air system with longer range seem like the first steps in bringing Chinese air power up to par. It certainly doesn't suggest that they will soon be able to "rival the West", let alone the US.

totalZero 9y ago
The US needs more manpower and cheap manufacturing to compete with such a large adversary as China. Instead of keeping close ties with Europe, we should be investing our time and energy in building a strong fraternity among American nations.
- DamnYuppie 9y ago
  I do not disagree with your sentiment. Yet most of America has closer cultural ties to Europe than the America's. Also the economies of Europe are much more robust and well run compared to those in Central and South America.
- JumpCrisscross 9y ago
  > The US needs more manpower and cheap manufacturing to compete with such a large adversary as China Automation.
- pjc50 9y ago
  American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control. Whereas the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost, including overthrowing elected governments to replace them with dictatorships (Chile); then secondarily about maintaining the drug war and its associated violence. If the US wants to get started there it should see about bringing peace to Mexico and work downwards.
  - forapurpose 9y ago
    Russia and communism haven't been threats for 25 years (though Russia is trying to make a comeback). > American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control. You're omitting the very strongly shared interests in liberty and democracy, as well as in free trade. There really is little reason for countries that believe in those things not to cooperate - they naturally have each other's best interests in mind. > the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost, ... If the US wants to get started there it should see about bringing peace to Mexico and work downwards. Again, that was a long time ago. Since the Cold War, almost the entire Western Hemisphere has become peaceful (internationally), democratic, and far more prosperous, lifting hundreds of millions out of extreme poverty. I don't meant to downplay the drug war, which I agree is awful and highly damaging to people in those nations.
  - dragonwriter 9y ago
    > American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control US ties to Europe predate geopolitical conflict with Russia. > Whereas the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost Likewise, US presence and exercise of colonial and quasi-legal power in Latin America long predates anticommunist foreign policy.
forapurpose 9y ago
> The big difference I see with China is that they have a massive booming economy. Unlike the USSR which failed to stay productive, they might be able to pull it off. Yes, this issue is the biggest one in the world right now (besides political stability and commitment to democracy in the US). Military power flows from economic power more than from anything else. In maybe 10 years, for the first time since WWII the US may have the second biggest economy and be falling further behind. The US + Europe would still far exceed China, but of course international cooperation is unfashionable for some reason.
- PricelessValue 9y ago
  > for the first time since WWII the US may have the second biggest economy and be falling further behind. Since 1890 or so. The US was the largest economy in the world for more than 50 years before ww2 started.
  - forapurpose 9y ago
    Good point. The gap grew dramatically by the end of WWII, when the US produced 50% of global GDP. The devastation of two massive wars in Europe in 35 years ruined the economies there, and Japan was also greatly damaged. In contrast, the U.S. mainland was mostly untouched.

totalZero 9y ago

The US needs more manpower and cheap manufacturing to compete with such a large adversary as China. Instead of keeping close ties with Europe, we should be investing our time and energy in building a strong fraternity among American nations.

DamnYuppie 9y ago
I do not disagree with your sentiment. Yet most of America has closer cultural ties to Europe than the America's. Also the economies of Europe are much more robust and well run compared to those in Central and South America.
JumpCrisscross 9y ago
> The US needs more manpower and cheap manufacturing to compete with such a large adversary as China Automation.
pjc50 9y ago
American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control. Whereas the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost, including overthrowing elected governments to replace them with dictatorships (Chile); then secondarily about maintaining the drug war and its associated violence. If the US wants to get started there it should see about bringing peace to Mexico and work downwards.
- forapurpose 9y ago
  Russia and communism haven't been threats for 25 years (though Russia is trying to make a comeback). > American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control. You're omitting the very strongly shared interests in liberty and democracy, as well as in free trade. There really is little reason for countries that believe in those things not to cooperate - they naturally have each other's best interests in mind. > the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost, ... If the US wants to get started there it should see about bringing peace to Mexico and work downwards. Again, that was a long time ago. Since the Cold War, almost the entire Western Hemisphere has become peaceful (internationally), democratic, and far more prosperous, lifting hundreds of millions out of extreme poverty. I don't meant to downplay the drug war, which I agree is awful and highly damaging to people in those nations.
- dragonwriter 9y ago
  > American ties to Europe were never entirely altruistic but about maintaining it against Russian influence and control US ties to Europe predate geopolitical conflict with Russia. > Whereas the US presence in South America has always been about anti-communism at any cost Likewise, US presence and exercise of colonial and quasi-legal power in Latin America long predates anticommunist foreign policy.

forapurpose 9y ago

> The big difference I see with China is that they have a massive booming economy. Unlike the USSR which failed to stay productive, they might be able to pull it off. Yes, this issue is the biggest one in the world right now (besides political stability and commitment to democracy in the US). Military power flows from economic power more than from anything else. In maybe 10 years, for the first time since WWII the US may have the second biggest economy and be falling further behind. The US + Europe would still far exceed China, but of course international cooperation is unfashionable for some reason.

PricelessValue 9y ago
> for the first time since WWII the US may have the second biggest economy and be falling further behind. Since 1890 or so. The US was the largest economy in the world for more than 50 years before ww2 started.
- forapurpose 9y ago
  Good point. The gap grew dramatically by the end of WWII, when the US produced 50% of global GDP. The devastation of two massive wars in Europe in 35 years ruined the economies there, and Japan was also greatly damaged. In contrast, the U.S. mainland was mostly untouched.