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>I don't think anyone is wanting the next war The US is directing significant resources towards war with China and China is responding in kind. It kind of make

>I don't think anyone is wanting the next war The US is directing significant resources towards war with China and China is responding in kind. It kind of makes sense given the amount of money the US owes China and given the "threat" of China's economic ascendence. http://yalejournal.org/2013/06/12/who-authorized-preparations-for-war-with-china/ http://yalejournal.org/2013/06/12/who-authorized-preparation...

gaelian 13y ago
I probably should have qualified that a little better: I don't think anyone sane is wanting the next war - which I agree would most likely be US + allies vs. China + allies and would likely spell Armageddon. My earlier post was really concerned more with those actors within relevant industries whose motive is to maximise profit, not with those actors whose motive is to win a dick measuring competition between their country/empire and someone else’s. If the latter guys win out then yeah, all bets are off I'd say. Perhaps I'm overestimating their adherence to logic and reason, but I don't think those actors motivated primarily by greed want such a big, uncontrollable war, the outcome of which is not foregone. They want little controllable ones like Gulf War 1 and 2 (or failing this, the surveillance state).
venomsnake 13y ago
Really? US owes China 1.3 trillion dollars. So the BIG BAD China debt is only 7-8% or less of a single year's GDP. In the grand schemes of things it is pocket change.
- levosmetalo 13y ago
  Really? A pocket change? So why the US don't just, you know, pay the debt with the pocket change and regain its financial independence once again?
  - awwaiid 13y ago
    Because nobody wins. Having the world dependent on US stability is a good thing.
  - venomsnake 13y ago
    A good reason to not pay it off is like the fact that US is borrowing money right now below the inflation rate - people are paying US to keep their money. Also government debt is rarely paid off - it is usually grown out of and revolved. What US lack is economic growth thanks the "serious" people that push for austerity. Also rule of thumb - anyone that uses a country budget is like the family budget analogy is - liar, dumb or ignorant. That is very quick filter by which you could judge politicians.
simonh 13y ago
I fail to see anything new. China has an outstanding claim of sovereignty over Taiwan and the US has entered into treaty obligations to defend Taiwan. China regularly holds military exercises in which it fires shells and missiles into the sea just off Taiwan. This situation has been in place for many decades. Over the last few decades China has greatly increased it's GDP and it's military spending, escalating the level of threat to Taiwan e.g. by buying or building submarines and an aircraft carrier, experimenting with stealth aircraft technology, etc, so the US has responded to that in step. Bear in mind it's the PRC's territorial claim and standing claim of a right to violently enforce it that's the driving force here.
- ihsw 13y ago
  China's posturing isn't limited to military exercises, they're also courting Taiwan for reintegration through economic incentives. It stands to reason that Taiwan's proximity to China could also be construed as a threat, due to her Western allegiance. If Taiwan integrates with China as a special economic zone then that would be a key Western ally lost, however Taiwanese reintegration has been a hot-button issue for a few decades (in both Chinese and Taiwanese politics) that has quietly remained dormant.

gaelian 13y ago

I probably should have qualified that a little better: I don't think anyone sane is wanting the next war - which I agree would most likely be US + allies vs. China + allies and would likely spell Armageddon. My earlier post was really concerned more with those actors within relevant industries whose motive is to maximise profit, not with those actors whose motive is to win a dick measuring competition between their country/empire and someone else’s. If the latter guys win out then yeah, all bets are off I'd say. Perhaps I'm overestimating their adherence to logic and reason, but I don't think those actors motivated primarily by greed want such a big, uncontrollable war, the outcome of which is not foregone. They want little controllable ones like Gulf War 1 and 2 (or failing this, the surveillance state).

venomsnake 13y ago

Really? US owes China 1.3 trillion dollars. So the BIG BAD China debt is only 7-8% or less of a single year's GDP. In the grand schemes of things it is pocket change.

levosmetalo 13y ago
Really? A pocket change? So why the US don't just, you know, pay the debt with the pocket change and regain its financial independence once again?
- awwaiid 13y ago
  Because nobody wins. Having the world dependent on US stability is a good thing.
- venomsnake 13y ago
  A good reason to not pay it off is like the fact that US is borrowing money right now below the inflation rate - people are paying US to keep their money. Also government debt is rarely paid off - it is usually grown out of and revolved. What US lack is economic growth thanks the "serious" people that push for austerity. Also rule of thumb - anyone that uses a country budget is like the family budget analogy is - liar, dumb or ignorant. That is very quick filter by which you could judge politicians.

simonh 13y ago

I fail to see anything new. China has an outstanding claim of sovereignty over Taiwan and the US has entered into treaty obligations to defend Taiwan. China regularly holds military exercises in which it fires shells and missiles into the sea just off Taiwan. This situation has been in place for many decades. Over the last few decades China has greatly increased it's GDP and it's military spending, escalating the level of threat to Taiwan e.g. by buying or building submarines and an aircraft carrier, experimenting with stealth aircraft technology, etc, so the US has responded to that in step. Bear in mind it's the PRC's territorial claim and standing claim of a right to violently enforce it that's the driving force here.

ihsw 13y ago
China's posturing isn't limited to military exercises, they're also courting Taiwan for reintegration through economic incentives. It stands to reason that Taiwan's proximity to China could also be construed as a threat, due to her Western allegiance. If Taiwan integrates with China as a special economic zone then that would be a key Western ally lost, however Taiwanese reintegration has been a hot-button issue for a few decades (in both Chinese and Taiwanese politics) that has quietly remained dormant.