Steve Bannon: 'We're going to war in the South China Sea ... no doubt'

[Jlaw]

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Saturday played down any need for major U.S. military moves in the South China Sea to contend with China's assertive behavior, even as he sharply criticized Beijing for "shredding the trust of nations in the region."

"At this time, we do not see any need for dramatic military moves at all," Mattis told a news conference in Tokyo, stressing that the focus should be on diplomacy.

In his Senate confirmation hearing, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said China should not be allowed access to islands it has built in the contested South China Sea. The White House also vowed to defend "international territories" in the strategic waterway.

But how the United States would achieve that has been unclear, including whether it would have a military dimension.

Analysts have said Tillerson's remarks, like those from the White House, suggested the possibility of U.S. military action, or even a naval blockade.

Such action would risk an armed confrontation with China, an increasingly formidable nuclear-armed military power. It is also the world's second-largest economy and the prime target of Trump accusations of stealing American jobs.

Mattis suggested that major military action was not being currently considered.

"What we have to do is exhaust all efforts, diplomatic efforts, to try to resolve this properly, maintaining open lines of communication," Mattis said, in his most complete remarks on the issue to date.

"And certainly our military stance should be one that reinforces our diplomats in this regard. But there is no need right now at this time for military maneuvers or something like that, that would solve something that’s best solved by the diplomats."

China claims most of the South China Sea, while Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei claim parts of the waters that command strategic sea lanes and have rich fishing grounds along with oil and gas deposits.

Mattis criticized China's actions.

"China has shredded the trust of nations in the region, apparently trying to have a veto authority over the diplomatic and security and economic conditions of neighboring states," he said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-southchinasea-mattis-idUSKBN15J061

Big mouths, yet once again NO DRASTIC MILITARY ACTIONS against China such as stopping China's land exclamation, military assets on our islands and above all no naval blockade preventing Chinese entering our own islands, unless the US wants to start a war against China based on the excuse of what? Stealing islands? Militarizing our islands? The International Community wouldn't be siding with the US and most importantly the US will find out what the consequences are fighting the PLA.

US can only pick on Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, but just talk when dealing with big boys. last time Chinese admiral warn of war WITH U.S. if it continues to send ship 12 nautical miles of Chinese islands. US admiral quickly met with Chinese admiral promising not to do that anymore

I want the US regime rhetoric under Trump to continue. US has just become a one-notch smaller country the moment they began to think big mouth talking heads at the senior level makes a country bigger or scarier.

Look, in mere two-three weeks, how many states the US neofascist regime has angered.

Do you think China would like it to stop?

Aren't mad dogs and p****-grabbers are all about barking and tough talking in the closet?

US regime is a strategic minion right now. Smart countries will take advantage of it.

Trump wil make China great

If you don't agree with the content why make the thread while the news was already posted not so long ago ?
I'm not sure how much you look down on the PLA but China certainly is not as weak as you may think. The US don't do parades like China and Russia so? Does that mean the US have hidden so much more advanced weaponry that the world has no clue about? And do you think that China and Russia would display all our cards to the world during the parades?

The US may be the strongest but weren't they that already after the end of WW2 when they were unscathed while the rest of the world were devastated? That didn't stop the Chinese army freaking the Yankees out during the Korean War. The US is actually a mere coward, always dragging other countries to help them out in aggressive wars such as the Korean War, Iraq War, Afghanistan do i need to say more? Even a 2 decades of war in Vietnam the Yankees failed to conquer Vietnam thanks to Chinese help which some Overseas Viets here don't want to credit China for its help. Yes the US has advanced stuffs and experience in fighting modern wars so does that make China and Russia cowards or weaklings? The US is only good at hammering weak countries and guys like you are brainwashed to believe they are so uber strong.

China also have advance weapons that ottoman turk wannabe can only dream about. recently they had to cancel their indigenous tank program because Turks can't build engine.

 

[Cybernetics]

The speaker is Dai Xu a senior Colonel of PLAAF, who is considered a military hawk. In the segment he was reflecting on an interaction with a Director in the US Marines on the topic of Diaoyu Islands. Though this is on the topic of South China Sea I see parallels in attitude and strategic consequences of confrontation. He and those considered hawks in the PLA consider the time frame 2020-2030 to be the "danger zone".

On a side note the Colonel has a track record of predicting/projecting trends and events. He accurately predicted the Xinjiang and Tibet unrest months before it happened in 2008 when other commanders were oblivious. Troops were mobilized ahead of time that prevented further destabilization.

The Colonel theorized confrontation (war) with China on core interests will cause irreversible damage to American power projection. In the case of stalemate, all american bases in the Asian-Pacific will be decimated, revival of the "USSR" as he put it (Russian revival), and United Islamic anti-American movement will be formed. After the war the US will be left with 3 major enemies/rivals. In his words China will be scarred but US will be an one legged cripple with 3 enemies to fight. Its a simplified un-nuanced version of what he said. Any thoughts?

Steve Bannon essentially reinforces 3 ideas for hawks in the PLA, the timeline, desire for confrontation, and the players involved. I'm sure his words carry weight in the PLA and preparations are being made because if it. This might result in a self fulfilling prophecy in which hawks on both sides feed each other's fears and push the countries in the direction of conflict.

 

[terranMarine]

The speaker is Dai Xu a senior Colonel of PLAAF, who is considered a military hawk. In the segment he was reflecting on an interaction with a Director in the US Marines on the topic of Diaoyu Islands. Though this is on the topic of South China Sea I see parallels in attitude and strategic consequences of confrontation. He and those considered hawks in the PLA consider the time frame 2020-2030 to be the "danger zone".

On a side note the Colonel has a track record of predicting/projecting trends and events. He accurately predicted the Xinjiang and Tibet unrest months before it happened in 2008 when other commanders were oblivious. Troops were mobilized ahead of time that prevented further destabilization.

The Colonel theorized confrontation (war) with China on core interests will cause irreversible damage to American power projection. In the case of stalemate, all american bases in the Asian-Pacific will be decimated, revival of the "USSR" as he put it (Russian revival), and United Islamic anti-American movement will be formed. After the war the US will be left with 3 major enemies/rivals. In his words China will be scarred but US will be an one legged cripple with 3 enemies to fight. Its a simplified un-nuanced version of what he said. Any thoughts?

Steve Bannon essentially reinforces 3 ideas for hawks in the PLA, the timeline, desire for confrontation, and the players involved. I'm sure his words carry weight in the PLA and preparations are being made because if it. This might result in a self fulfilling prophecy in which hawks on both sides feed each other's fears and push the countries in the direction of conflict.

Definitely, China has the Western Pacific all covered with our Ballistic Missiles. China doesn't have to use nukes, just conventional warheads dealing with US AC, Okinawa and Guam. China will suffer heavy loses and so will the US, the closer they get to our perimeter the higher the risk of being annihilated. China's land based missiles, coastal defense, our long range anti ship missiles will pound the US Navy and they know it.

A war between China and US (and even some idiots believe Japan will join the war that is if Japan is itching for some East Winds i wouldn't count on it) they think DPRK won't take the opportunity to strike? China can unleash our bulldog on South Korea and overrun them with their human wave attack. It would be the best moment for unification. Both China and US militarily will be crippled, unification of Korea under the rule of the Communist government, Russia can revive the Soviet Union, Europe shitting in their pants. Whatever will happen in the ME region afterwards who knows what kind of chaos will emerge. The Yankees didn't see what was coming when they started the Iraq War, Syria War, Afghan War. A war between China and US will have a huge magnitude of consequences for the world. The loses of US military in ME is nothing compared to fighting the PLA.

That is why i laugh at those Viets, Pinoys, anybody who believe the US is gonna start a war with China because of the little islands? Really? The US is only good at bombing weak countries by calling the allies to join in. Ha US the World's strongest super power (global power) my A**. To me the US is the world's biggest coward.

 

[gambit]

The Colonel theorized confrontation (war) with China on core interests will cause irreversible damage to American power projection. In the case of stalemate, all american bases in the Asian-Pacific will be decimated, revival of the "USSR" as he put it (Russian revival), and United Islamic anti-American movement will be formed. After the war the US will be left with 3 major enemies/rivals. In his words China will be scarred but US will be an one legged cripple with 3 enemies to fight. Its a simplified un-nuanced version of what he said. Any thoughts?

You guys better hope he was not part of the group that predicted the US will suffer in Desert Storm -- Vietnam-era casualties.

 

[帅的一匹]

Trump is a business man, he just bot on China for his own business growth. How can you expect a business man to fight a war with determined and powerful China? I will say peace is expected. Now China has devastating weapons like DF5C and DF41, we are very safe now!

 

[Cybernetics]

You guys better hope he was not part of the group that predicted the US will suffer in Desert Storm -- Vietnam-era casualties.

No need to group people together before knowing them and get personal, it's very unprofessional. I was merely providing insight into the situation. The only thing I hope for is avoiding ww3 and not getting drafted into the Canadian Army.

 

[TaiShang]

Rising neo-fascism in the US has already created major disturbance around the world.

Given the US 's scale of military destruction capacity, it needs to be carefully managed, however.

The rhetoric the US regime fascists use is very similar to those of pre-WW2 fascists. At that time, the world did not have a rational alternative strong power like China is today.

China's manifest destiny, part of it, is to handle an angry and aggressive fascist-leaning declining superpower.

China has the historical wisdom. You can understand this, among others, by simply compare and contrasting the heated and angry rhetoric of US fascist regime officials with that of China's.

The world from Germany to Australia has seen this in merely two weeks.

 

[gambit]

No need to group people together before knowing them and get personal, it's very unprofessional. I was merely providing insight into the situation. The only thing I hope for is avoiding ww3 and not getting drafted into the Canadian Army.

My point -- and cautionary note -- was that do not place much significance into these types of predictions and even worse by pulling in past wars and battles that have been either negated in terms of technical matters of warfare, or rendered worthless altogether.

Take the machine gun, for example...

How many past battles are applicable in discussions/debates for today ? Practically none.

Take the airplane, for another example...

https://defence.pk/threads/ten-propositions-for-modern-air-power.472753/

A single fighter over a battle will compel all sides to reposture themselves. The friendly to maximize the odds of winning, the opposition to minimize the odds of losing, not even considering victory.

Each advancement in technology irrevocably altered how wars are waged and battles fought. The greater the advancement by one side, the greater the uncertainty of victory by the other.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/us/gen-donn-a-starry-cold-war-strategist-dies-at-86.html

On land, China produced no Chinese version of Donn Starry, the theorist, or Norman Schwarzkopf, the executor of the theory.

In the air, China produced no Chinese version of John Boyd, who in the minds of many military scholars, ranks along China's Sun Tzu and Europe's Carl von Clausewitz.

On the waters, China produced no Chinese versions of Chester Nimitz (surface and submarine) or Hyman Rickover (nuclear).

To put bluntly, in the past two hundreds yrs of military affairs, China have been absent in class. The most recent 'revolution in military affairs' (RMA) was Desert Storm and China's PLA leadership was woefully wrong about their prediction about the US military. You will have better odds at the green tables of Las Vegas or Macau.

 

[TaiShang]

Non-aggressive states need not to be worried.

***

DF-5C missile tests targeted at no specific country: China’s defense ministry

(People's Daily Online) February 06, 2017

Carrying out planned scientific tests in Chinese territory is normal practice, and the tests targeted no specific country, China's Ministry of National Defense said in a written statement to Shenzhen TV following the Washington Free Beacon's report about the DF-5C missile tests.

American media has kept hyping up China's normal scientific tests, although the Chinese military has reiterated that China adopts a defensive nuclear strategy and will not change its “no first use” policy.

The Washington Free Beacon report said the U.S. will have to reevaluate China's nuclear arsenal, and a boost in China's nuclear arsenal to 800-1,000 warheads would likely prompt the Pentagon to increase the U.S. arsenal by taking nuclear weapons out of storage.

China may be sending a signal to the Trump administration with the test, Rick Fisher said, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center.

Li Wei, a professor at the People's Liberation Army's National Defence University told Shenzhen TV the U.S. is likely to maintain its dominant position, especially as a nuclear power. The U.S. believes China's possession of DF-5C missiles poses some threat to its dominance.

 

[xunzi]

Given the current condition in the US right now, the call for Trump impeachment and his supporters backing, there is more likely a chance of a civil war than any war with foreign power. LOL

 

[Martian2]

@Martian2

What do you think about the US government's attempt to conceal the malfunction of the Trident II missiles?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...sile-test-launch-secret-theresa-a7542756.html

I thought it was interesting that the Trident II is not as reliable as the Pentagon wants us to believe.

 

[Viet]

Non-aggressive states need not to be worried.

***

DF-5C missile tests targeted at no specific country: China’s defense ministry

(People's Daily Online) February 06, 2017

Carrying out planned scientific tests in Chinese territory is normal practice, and the tests targeted no specific country, China's Ministry of National Defense said in a written statement to Shenzhen TV following the Washington Free Beacon's report about the DF-5C missile tests.

American media has kept hyping up China's normal scientific tests, although the Chinese military has reiterated that China adopts a defensive nuclear strategy and will not change its “no first use” policy.

The Washington Free Beacon report said the U.S. will have to reevaluate China's nuclear arsenal, and a boost in China's nuclear arsenal to 800-1,000 warheads would likely prompt the Pentagon to increase the U.S. arsenal by taking nuclear weapons out of storage.

China may be sending a signal to the Trump administration with the test, Rick Fisher said, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center.

Li Wei, a professor at the People's Liberation Army's National Defence University told Shenzhen TV the U.S. is likely to maintain its dominant position, especially as a nuclear power. The U.S. believes China's possession of DF-5C missiles poses some threat to its dominance.

Testing nuclear weapons is scientific? Does China want to know how many people can be perished in a minute?

 

[kankan326]

the US have a lot more of everything, they just don't do parades with them.

Never mention the word "more" in front of China. No one can win the quantity game against China. Even US can not.

 

[TaiShang]

Testing nuclear weapons is scientific? Does China want to know how many people can be perished in a minute?

It is scientific in the sense that it enables to gather valuable data with regard to accuracy, load and range capacity, and overall effectiveness to ensure the desired outcomes. All of these calculations require immense scientific data and also provide new insights.

This is how science keeps progress: Adding small data to the existing knowledge pool.

 

[xyxmt]

when was the last time US went to war with a formidable foe or even the one who could fire back one shot.
In order for US to go to a with china, first UN inspectors have to go in to China, check all their military assets and report back to US and US will attack only if report says there is no working missile battery in china.