Cash strapped American empire begins to crumble

ruggedtoast

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/obama-the-us-can-no-longer-fight-the-worlds-battles-6285629.html

Obama: the US can no longer fight the world's battles
President plans to cut half a million troops and says US can't afford to wage two wars at once...

Instead, the US military will lose up to half a million troops and will focus on countering terrorism and meeting the new challenges of an emergent Asia dominated by China.

Unfortunately China is in the ascendency and could be at the point within the next decade where she can floor the region with warships, military bases and planes.

Given the size of their population, projected economic might, and dreadful authoritarian government they could potentially raise a fighting army (even a reluctant one) of tens of millions of soldiers.

At some point South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are going to have to seriously reappraise their relationship with the US as guarantor of their independence.

dealer_wins

Dont worry too much, 1 Nuke = 5million soldiers

Conrad

Americans need to focus on thier economy, not imperialist dominance through a costly non wealth creating military. This is good news for America. Germany doesn't go around the world fighting battles and setting up bases, they focus on making stuff people want to buy, doh!!

China wont want to kill the goose that lays the golden egg so it's a complete barmy argument they would want to start wars and what not. If the need came, as in WW2 the US could re - arm and fight a war if needbe.

ruggedtoast

Except nuclear weapons do nothing other than deter people from firing nuclear weapons at you.

Personally I am not worried, but some of America's regional allies could find themselves stranded remarkably quickly.

If I were Taiwan I would be seriously preparing for political reattachment to the mainland.

FTBFun

ruggedtoast wrote: »

Except nuclear weapons do nothing other than deter people from firing nuclear weapons at you.

Err, how is this a bad thing?

Generali

ruggedtoast wrote: »

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/obama-the-us-can-no-longer-fight-the-worlds-battles-6285629.html



Unfortunately China is in the ascendency and could be at the point within the next decade where she can floor the region with warships, military bases and planes.

Given the size of their population, projected economic might, and dreadful authoritarian government they could potentially raise a fighting army (even a reluctant one) of tens of millions of soldiers.

At some point South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are going to have to seriously reappraise their relationship with the US as guarantor of their independence.

Don't speak too soon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_strike_group

One of these babies will put a serious dent in your day. The US currently has 10 with a further supercarrier (the centre piece the strike group) being built, the first in a new class of Gerald R. Ford carriers, another on order and a further 5 planned.

China is on the rise and the USA faces many problems. The US still rules the waves and, to a lesser extent, the skies. The US economy is still a fifth of the world's economy and to generalise, without the US consumer buying China's output, China's economy would largely go back to subsistence farming.

davetrousers

On the BBC news last night, they said that even after the US cuts to military funding the US would still be spending 8 times more than the next biggest spender.... China

RenovationMan

It never ceases to amaze me when I see people worrying about the demise of Western Power and the 'rise of the East'. Obviously the people who see this as something to fear have not read their history books. It's the West, not the East who have predominantly been the aggressor.

It's no bad thing if the US stops throwing its military weight about and instead we have a globe dominated by trade and interlinked economies. If the US stops its 'Oil Wars', then perhaps they will have a greater incentive to make their cars and industries more energy efficient, just as we have seen in European countries. The solution to energy requirements is not to invade countries to secure cheap oil for your 3 Litre V8 pick up trucks, it's to reduce your energy consumption and drive VW blue motion instead.

I see a reining in of US military might as a good thing, not bad and I think the world will be a better/safer place.

drc

I reckon some of the Americaphobes will want the Yanks back once they see what a world ruled by China will be like.

Pete111

RenovationMan wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me when I see people worrying about the demise of Western Power and the 'rise of the East'. Obviously the people who see this as something to fear have not read their history books. It's the West, not the East who have predominantly been the aggressor.

It's no bad thing if the US stops throwing its military weight about and instead we have a globe dominated by trade and interlinked economies. If the US stops its 'Oil Wars', then perhaps they will have a greater incentive to make their cars and industries more energy efficient, just as we have seen in European countries. The solution to energy requirements is not to invade countries to secure cheap oil for your 3 Litre V8 pick up trucks, it's to reduce your energy consumption and drive VW blue motion instead.

I see a reining in of US military might as a good thing, not bad and I think the world will be a better/safer place.

I totally take your point but 3 Litre? - In the US a 3 litre engine is usually the economy option! Pick ups are usually 5+ litres and manage a heady 10-15 real world MPG.

A few years ago we rented a modern mid size saloon in the states. The equivalent over in europe would have been a 2 litre ford mondeo and you would expect an easy 35 MPG . This thing was a 3.5 litre V6...yet becuase it was an powered by a old fashioned pushrod piece of cr*p and had a slushy 4 speed auto, was no faster than it's euro equivilent. Even accounting for the fact US gallons are smaller than UK ones, I reckon we got 20 MPG max.

Until Americans figure out that you don't need to have 4+ litres to extract 200 BHP from an engine then they will keep craning heavy, wasteful oversized and underpowered lumps of iron into their cars....and wonder why noone outside their borders wants them!

kabayiri

drc wrote: »

I reckon some of the Americaphobes will want the Yanks back once they see what a world ruled by China will be like.

You can see the China influence on the Eastern side of Africa.

It's a good old fashioned colonial asset grab. Our Western ancestors would be impressed and familiar with proceedings.

China wouldn't like it if a cash strapped USA flogged a carrier or 2 to their 'friendly' neighbour Japan!