Poking the bear, US is increasing their defense budget by 40%

[NoBodyImportant]

Building 4 new bases in the pacific. What I heard on the radio it was to ready the USA to fight China and Russia at the same same time. But remember folks, it was Trump that was going to start ww3.  Thanks for letting me rant. 

[Centrepin]

The best defence for any country is to have the biggest and best equipped armed forces.

I'd also add the best trained but that's a new can of worms.

[Stonepark]

The USA isn't increasing it's military spending for defence but for offence.

No other country has attacked the USA since Japan in WWII, yet the USA has almost constantly been at war since then (including the invasion and occupation a large part of Syria which is ongoing but ignored by MSM)

Russia and China are not setting up bases in Cuba, Mexico and Canada to attack the USA are they?

[welsh1]

China has increased it's spending on defence, it has also been very busy converting islands in the south china sea, recently it has said it can now use AI to do the development of a warship in weeks rather than the year it would normally take.China intends to become the worlds biggest navy overtaking the usa in the very near future.

I would say the usa increasing it's military spending is a direct result of the above.

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, would China supply weapons to Russia ? They are now looking to place weapons in Belarus 🤔

[Rewulf]

2 hours ago, welsh1 said:

I would say the usa increasing it's military spending is a direct result of the above

You could also turn that round the other way. 

China isn't building bases around the US, the US has been building bases around China, and has been for decades. 

China has only recently started to up its arms infrastructure, including nuclear, don't get me wrong, they are an economic and military threat, but they, like the US, can easily afford to be. 

Arms races in the 21st century are a ridiculous waste of money, that could be better spent, as long as they aren't used. 

And if they are used, superpower to superpower, they WILL escalate to nuclear exchanges. And that dream of population reduction will be a very real thing. 

[welsh1]

3 minutes ago, Rewulf said:

You could also turn that round the other way. 

China isn't building bases around the US, the US has been building bases around China, and has been for decades. 

China has only recently started to up its arms infrastructure, including nuclear, don't get me wrong, they are an economic and military threat, but they, like the US, can easily afford to be. 

Arms races in the 21st century are a ridiculous waste of money, that could be better spent, as long as they aren't used. 

And if they are used, superpower to superpower, they WILL escalate to nuclear exchanges. And that dream of population reduction will be a very real thing. 

You could also look at China's belt and road initiatives, they (like the usa) have visions of empire, and while wars have been proxy since the world wars there will come a time that they will clash, lets hope it is short and not nuclear.
Taiwan is one of the main bones of contention, and will most probably be a flash point.

[Westward]

Despite the overthrow of the Soviet era and a sort of capitalist lite, semi modern outlook, Russia has maintained a permanent position of suspicion and restrained hostility toward Nato and particularly the US. They have also invaded or bullied several other sovereign nations prior to Ukraine.

Russia is not a democracy in the western sense. There are no genuine elections, no right to protest and no freedom of speech. And all the while, Putin's media teams keep up a constant anti west propaganda rhetoric, mostly portraying Russia as the victim trying to push back against western aggression. This is why Russia always supports any nation, no matter how obnoxious, as long as by so doing, they can undermine the west.

Of course the real fear In Putin's Russia and Xi's China is not western aggression but democracy itself, and having free democratic countries like Taiwan and Ukraine right on their doorsteps and the very real possibility of their regime becoming restless for freedom is what keeps them awake nights.

I'm pleased to see the US stepping up defence spending and I hope every Nato member follows suit.

The only negotiating position that monsters like Putin and Xi understand is the big stick one.

[Mungler]

1 hour ago, Westward said:

Despite the overthrow of the Soviet era and a sort of capitalist lite, semi modern outlook, Russia has maintained a permanent position of suspicion and restrained hostility toward Nato and particularly the US. They have also invaded or bullied several other sovereign nations prior to Ukraine.

Russia is not a democracy in the western sense. There are no genuine elections, no right to protest and no freedom of speech. And all the while, Putin's media teams keep up a constant anti west propaganda rhetoric, mostly portraying Russia as the victim trying to push back against western aggression. This is why Russia always supports any nation, no matter how obnoxious, as long as by so doing, they can undermine the west.

Of course the real fear In Putin's Russia and Xi's China is not western aggression but democracy itself, and having free democratic countries like Taiwan and Ukraine right on their doorsteps and the very real possibility of their regime becoming restless for freedom is what keeps them awake nights.

I'm pleased to see the US stepping up defence spending and I hope every Nato member follows suit.

The only negotiating position that monsters like Putin and Xi understand is the big stick one.

 

This.

I bet Ukraine wishes now that it had kept its nukes and spent a bit more on its military... if it had, we wouldn't be here having this discussion right now.

 

[JohnfromUK]

2 hours ago, Westward said:

Of course the real fear In Putin's Russia and Xi's China is not western aggression but democracy itself, and having free democratic countries like Taiwan and Ukraine right on their doorsteps and the very real possibility of their regime becoming restless for freedom is what keeps them awake nights.

I'm pleased to see the US stepping up defence spending and I hope every Nato member follows suit.

The only negotiating position that monsters like Putin and Xi understand is the big stick one.

/\ This. 

[Rewulf]

2 hours ago, Westward said:

Despite the overthrow of the Soviet era and a sort of capitalist lite, semi modern outlook, Russia has maintained a permanent position of suspicion and restrained hostility toward Nato and particularly the US. They have also invaded or bullied several other sovereign nations prior to Ukraine.

Its not often I disagree with you , but there are some issues here.
I think you can already see the highlighted one.

Russia has been a pariah state since 1917, hated by the west except for 41-45 when the west thought it convenient, even 91 bought no new real end to the animosity.
This animosity , by its nature is going to be reciprocal, if you are threatening to utterly destroy  the 'enemy' , the opposition is going to threaten back surely ?

2 hours ago, Westward said:

Russia is not a democracy in the western sense. There are no genuine elections, no right to protest and no freedom of speech. And all the while, Putin's media teams keep up a constant anti west propaganda rhetoric, mostly portraying Russia as the victim trying to push back against western aggression. This is why Russia always supports any nation, no matter how obnoxious, as long as by so doing, they can undermine the west.

I wont argue about elections or democracy, but this anti west propaganda ?
Are we to believe the Russian people believe all the lies the state media feed them , are they that stupid ?
Meanwhile, do WE  believe all that we hear from our media, they wouldnt lie to us would they , not like those evil Russia media outlets (we banned) ?

Youve created the very paradox of propaganda, they are lying , we are telling the truth , if both sides cant be true, can it be possible that both sides are lying ?

 

2 hours ago, Westward said:

Of course the real fear In Putin's Russia and Xi's China is not western aggression but democracy itself, and having free democratic countries like Taiwan and Ukraine right on their doorsteps and the very real possibility of their regime becoming restless for freedom is what keeps them awake nights.

What makes you think Taiwan or Ukraine are, or will be, free and democratic ?

Ukraine , and Taiwan have only recently entered the true definition of this,c with both heavily influenced and supported by the US.
You could , innocently, believe that the US have nurtured these fledgling peace birds out of the goodness of their hearts, I rather think its more their strategic value myself ?
Something they have tried, and failed with in Africa, the middle east and some S.American countries, like Venezuela .

2 hours ago, Westward said:

The only negotiating position that monsters like Putin and Xi understand is the big stick one.

I do agree with this part , and unfortunately the big stick is necessary to an extent.

Big stick ideology, big stick diplomacy, or big stick policy refers to President Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy, "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far".

This highlighted part is common perception of the saying, however the quiet man philosophy , who is ready to defend himself and his kin with violent force, is corrupted in this sense.
The US//NATO stance is not to speak softly , it is to project their power to every corner of the world, and brandish the big stick in a most belligerent fashion, seemingly to put the fear of the gods into anyone who dare oppose them?

This strategy works when the rivals in the room dont have their own big sticks.

 

[Stonepark]

55 minutes ago, Rewulf said:

This strategy ONLY works when the rivals in the room dont have their own big sticks.

 

Slight adjustment

[Rewulf]

4 minutes ago, Stonepark said:

Slight adjustment

Thank you Sir 

[Westward]

Okay propaganda. I've seen Russian people interviewed who totally buy in to the "poor little innocent Russia" rhetoric and who believe the west is evil. There may well be some carefully constructed disinformation by our government, especially during the pandemic, but when it comes to blatant propaganda, it's not in the same universe as Russia or China.

Taiwan (originally Formosa) was once part of China but, like Hong Kong, doesn't want to be part of a communist state - and who in the west can blame them. But Beijing wants it back and the only things stopping them invading is the probability of the US getting involved and the economic consequences of losing most of their best customers.

Ukraine is somewhat similar. They may not be a fully formed democracy, but they're much more free than the virtual totalitarian Russian state and they will fight forever to avoid being taken over by the gangsters in the Kremlin.

[Rewulf]

3 hours ago, Westward said:

Ukraine is somewhat similar. They may not be a fully formed democracy, but they're much more free than the virtual totalitarian Russian state and they will fight forever to avoid being taken over by the gangsters in the Kremlin.

My belief is the Ukrainian mindset is very very similar to the Russian mindset, to be expected really.
They dont really understand democracy, they like the 'strongman' leader type, and food on the table...

This interview with 'ex Russian' Konstantine Kisin gives an idea of what we are up against.

 

[Stonepark]

3 hours ago, Westward said:

Taiwan (originally Formosa) was once part of China but, like Hong Kong, doesn't want to be part of a communist state - and who in the west can blame them. But Beijing wants it back and the only things stopping them invading is the probability of the US getting involved and the economic consequences of losing most of their best customers.

Donbass, was once part of Ukraine but like Crimea doesn't want to be part of a corrupt Nazi state - and who in the world can blame them. But Ukraine wants it back and only things stopping them invading further was Russia being involved and even then Ukraine is prepared to kill a large portion of its population to try to recover the Donbass against all common sense.