No. I was actually having a rather long conversation about this the other night. China cannot back up their claim to the Spratlys, nor would it be smart for them to try. The only possible avenue of military expansion China has is S.E Asia or India.
Low, I would especially be interested in what you have to say about this article by Max Hastings. I was in Saigon earlier this year and I watched some protesters carrying banners denouncing China's intention to try and take over the Spratly Islands. Currently the Philippines, China and Vietnam have all got claims on the islands but China is acting like a big bully in the playground.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/ar...U-S-China.html
No. I was actually having a rather long conversation about this the other night. China cannot back up their claim to the Spratlys, nor would it be smart for them to try. The only possible avenue of military expansion China has is S.E Asia or India.
WATERMARK, GREATEST OF THE TRINITY, ON CHIK-FIL-A
www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com
www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com
They already own the USA.
I'd say the chances of WW3 declined, somewhat terminally, on August 6th 1945.
It's all about the regional war nowadays. World wars are, like, the olden days, Grandpa.
/MSG/ (11-26-2011), Cancel 2018. 3 (11-26-2011), Minister of Truth (11-27-2011), The Dude (11-26-2011)
you make a good point and the cold war seems to bolster this point. i don't know if i'm ready to agree to 'terminally', however, the chances are far less since the world has gained access to the nuclear weapon. i don't believe, however, that another world war is 'somewhat' terminal, both world wars were not predicted.
WWI was certainly very predictable with the GB vs. Germany arms race and the, rather polite, assignment of sides in the years preceding actual war.
In the same way WWII was a possibility, which became a probability due to some rather bad decision making.
As a race we're particularly stupid but, call me old fashioned, but i'm putting my trust in the theory of self preservation in this nuclear age.
Would really be more like the apocalypse than one of those incidents we had early in the last century.
Wow, pretty much the only inhabitants of the islands are military expeditions from people trying to claim it. They are ma
king quite a big deal about such a thing.
WATERMARK, GREATEST OF THE TRINITY, ON CHIK-FIL-A
www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com
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Well, if it's contained to Vietnam, China, and The Phillipines, it'd be a curb stomp. From American experiences in the region, it's unlikely that China could occupy and replace the government of either country. But it's not a war that the Phillipines or Vietnam could win. The most they could hope to do is strike hard enough that China decides this is all pointless and retreats, as happened in China's Vietname "war" in the late 70's. But the China of today is much stronger than the China of the 70's.
you intertwine possibility with predictability. they are two very different concepts.
WWI was not predicted. and i'm not talking about just a few months prior, i'm talking about the same time frame tom is in the OP. i can't predict a train is going to run you over, but if i see you standing on the tracks whil[st]e a train is 1 second away from hitting you, then i can safely say, my prediction that you would get hit is spot on.
China is also far more contained, and far less experienced. They are completely unable to effect a claim on the Philippines so the only option would be a costly land invasion on Vietnam. We, America, wouldn't give a damn but China outsources a lot to Vietnam and also gets a good portion of its food there. China has no real option here.
WATERMARK, GREATEST OF THE TRINITY, ON CHIK-FIL-A
www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com
www.gunsbeerfreedom.blogspot.com
Just the other day we were all treated to a history lesson by Professor Dixie...he informed us that the Soviet Union did not exist during WWII.
Maybe if WWIII starts, he will favor us with an update.
Germany supposedly had very draconian goals for the war, that were incredibly imperialistic and exceeded even the Vienna convention. However, this may just be propoganda on the part of the allies in order to justify their draconian impositions on Germany at the end of the war. All I know is that it was the dumbest war in history.
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