February 24, 2018
`We will continue to prosecute the campaign against terrorists, but great-power competition – not terrorism – is now the primary focus of US national security.’ Henceforth Russia and China will be America’s main enemies, with Iran and North Korea thrown in for good measure.
So declared US Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, last week in a statement of profound importance for the world.
For the past seventeen years, the US military has been laying waste to the Muslim world in the faux `war on terrorism.’ Afghanistan, Iraq, much of Syria, Somalia, Pakistan – all have been heavily bombed. US B-52’s and B-1 heavy bombers have tried to pound those resisting American ‘guidance’ into submission.
In Afghanistan, America’s longest war, President Donald Trump ordered a doubling of bombing against Taliban forces battling US occupation. Now, the US is running very low on bombs, guided munitions and even air-to-air missiles for some reason. Stores of munitions are being rushed from the US Pacific command to the Mideast.
At the same time, the US is fast running out of Muslim targets to bomb, now that the bogeyman ISIS has vanished into thin air and US air attacks in Syria are being minimized for fear of clashing with Russia. Iran still remains on the US potential hit list.
Which brings us back to General ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis. He is quite right that so-called terrorists (that’s anyone who actively opposes the Lex Americana) pose no real life or death threat to the US mainland.
But if so, how then to maintain the $1 trillion US military budget? Well, of course, trot out those good old ‘Reds Under Our Beds.’ Actually, the Pentagon has been planning a new war with China for the past three years, a mainly air and naval conflict to dominate China’s coasts and seas. The Pentagon is loading up on new aircraft, missiles, satellites and naval craft for the next Pacific War, and trying to enlist India as an ally against China.
But what then about Russia? Not so easy. The likely theater for a US-Russia clash is on the Baltic coast, Ukraine, the Black Sea or Syria. In this case, the US would be confronted by the same problem that afflicted France in the fall of 1939.
Few people know that it was France that first attacked Germany, not the other way around. Responding to the German invasion of Poland, France and Britain declared war on Germany. French divisions began to invade Germany’s Rhineland. But after a few skirmishes the French high command, under the inept Gen. Maurice Gamelin, didn’t know what to do next. Germany was large, and the defensive-minded French did not anticipate occupying its entire country.
After a brief demonstration, the French Army withdrew behind the Maginot Line. Hitler did not counter-attack in hope he could forge a peace treaty with London and Paris. Winston Churchill and his fellow imperialists furiously sought to push Britain into war with Germany. But months of inactivity went by, known as the ‘Sitzkrieg’ or ‘drôle de guerre’ until Germany acted decisively.
This would also be America’s problem in a war against Russia. How deep into Russia to attack (assuming no use of nuclear weapons)? How to protect ever lengthening supply lines? Napoleon and Hitler faced the same challenges and failed.
Of course, this supposes the US is ready for war. In truth, neither the US and NATO nor Russia are in any way prepared to fight a real war on land, sea and air. Military forces on both sides have been so run down and depleted by little wars and budget cuts that there are serious shortages of war stocks and aging equipment.
Key NATO member Germany is in a shambles. Its feminized military, run by a nice but incompetent lady defense minister, could not fight its way out of a paper bag. France is not much better off. The US armed forces and Britain are critically short of spares, munitions, transport, and armor. Russia’s once mighty Red Army is short of everything. Both east and west are simply unready for a real war.
As if there is any reason for one. There is not. Those jackanapes in the US Congress and media trying to inflate online mischief by 20-something Russian hackers into a second Pearl Harbor are crying ‘fire’ in a crowded theater.
A final respectful note to Gen. Mattis (my dad was a marine): A good general does not pick a fight with two, far–away major powers at once. The trick is to turn them against one another. Declaring a future war against China and Russia is a crazy idea. Only draft-dodgers and generals who lost the Vietnam War could come up with it.
Copyright Eric S. Margolis 2018
This post is in: China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, USA
China’s influence with Pakistan has been growing steadily since 1964. Then-President of Pakistan, Mohammed Ayub Khan, made his first visit to China that year. After the Indo-Pakistan war in Sept. 1965, when the US cut off arms aid to the country, the Pakistanis turned to China to re-supply its air force and army. China sold a number of MIG aircraft to Pakistan, beginning in 1966.
From the BBC, “President Trump says he would have run into the Florida school to confront the gunman, even if he was unarmed.”
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Based on past experience, do you believe D-cubed?
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If he were unarmed, he should confront the perp… just the decent thing to do…
speak softly, and carry a big stick seems to be turned on its head
Just reviewing the ‘watered down’ history PBS series.
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My reference was based on the 10th episode… the last half of this is tripe… Episodes 1 to 9 are quite good; the last half of Episode 10 is American propaganda… and ruins the first 9 episodes.
“We will continue to prosecute the campaign against terrorists, but great-power competition…” Making them up as needed… D-cubed (Draft Dodger Donald) is pushing ahead to improve American business Nearly all his activities have been to this end.
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“Henceforth Russia and China will be America’s main enemies, with Iran and North Korea thrown in for good measure.” I’m glad D-cubed doesn’t want Canadian water…
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“For the past seventeen years, the US military has been laying waste to the Muslim world in the faux `war on terrorism.’” Almost reminds me of Vietnam… Just reviewing the ‘watered down’ history PBS series.”US B-52’s and B-1 heavy bombers have tried to pound those resisting American ‘guidance’ into submission.” Just like Vietnam, but, Communists in lieu of terrorists.
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“In Afghanistan, America’s longest war, President Donald Trump ordered a doubling of bombing against Taliban forces battling US occupation. Now, the US is running very low on bombs, guided munitions and even air-to-air missiles for some reason.” With their new budget and overdraft, I was wondering what they were going to spend the $Billions on; I wasn’t aware they were running out of munitions or targets. Time to ‘top up’ the cookie jar.
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“US air attacks in Syria are being minimized for fear of clashing with Russia.” This will be a ‘hot spot’ with the new 30 day UN imposed cease fire. There is no provision in the cease fire for the rebels (those opposed to Assad) to stop organising future incursions. “Iran still remains on the US potential hit list.” Interesting that Israel is left out of the equation. Iran and Syria are the only two countries in the area that can oppose Israel.
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Which brings us back to General ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis. He is quite right that so-called terrorists (that’s anyone who actively opposes the Lex Americana) pose no real life or death threat to the US mainland.
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“Actually, the Pentagon has been planning a new war with China for the past three years, a mainly air and naval conflict to dominate China’s coasts and seas.” The Americans may have lost the window on this. “…trying to enlist India as an ally against China.” I didn’t think the Americans had enough money to rent India… the Chinese are becoming much more active in Pakistan… This could prove to be quite interesting (in a Chinese sense).
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“The likely theater for a US-Russia clash is on the Baltic coast, Ukraine, the Black Sea…” For strategic reasons Russia cannot give up Crimea. A real ‘stupid’ move by K. I can see the old joke about K waking up after a three day drunk, “I freed Crimea?”..
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“Responding to the German invasion of Poland…” yup and at the end of the war, the Allies gave Poland to the Russians. “France and Britain declared war on Germany. French divisions began to invade Germany’s Rhineland.” I think the real cause of WWII was business related, and, had little to do with ideology.
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“Key NATO member Germany is in a shambles …France is not much better off …The US armed forces and Britain are critically short of spares, munitions, transport, and armor …Russia’s once mighty Red Army is short of everything.” It’s not looking very good, but, I don’t think that’s going to stop them. Things appear to be pretty quiet between China and Russia of late; it could be difficult to escalate things.