Then it depends on the level of training. Remember, we have the world's best training program that everyone wish they could have. Prior to Desert Storm, we have nothing to the same scale since WW II. But self criticisms and persistence in training made possible the spectacular combat successes of Desert Storm. I know the Chinese members here have little respect for Desert Storm and that will be why the PLA will lose in any shooting fight against US.
Ok I have the feeling you been in desert storm, cause no one else keeps bring that up.
In boxing, a good boxer against a bad one can still clearly demonstrate his skills by winning by KO or a large margin. You can still gauge his skill level.
However it is against someone of equal or superior level can one find out more about the boxer.
Hence why Mayweather has been questioned his whole career, though it is more than apparent he is the P4P best, even though his opponent hasn't been great.
I am not saying desert storm isn't important, it showed the level of the US military, but there are lots of other factors that contributes to a conflict.
For example, Desert Storm isn't a perfect operation, but Iraq doesn't have the power to exploit it, but a country such as Russia or China may pounce on it.
Not saying we are better or equal to US, but when the difference isn't THAT big, one has to be cautious, we both have the power to KO each other, it's just that with the skill level it is more likely for you to defeat us than the other way around, but not impossible.
A good sports analogy, that's why we play the games.
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I know you think the US is the only country that self criticizes, but it is not so, so do we. Everyone saw desert storm, and a lot of people made predictions from all over the world, but to date, why did we make the biggest jump in terms of technological improvement, why did we become the second largest spender, why did we cut the number of military personnel time after time.
Our training program change all the time, we improve it all the time. We haven't been standing still. I know what the you thinks about Chinese attitude, like we are still the communist of old, but just think about it, if we were can we even be at where we are today? You give us way too less credit, if it's so easy, why are we even considered a threat.
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Also to your last point, it is kinda stupid, a shooting war? Do you know why Bismark didn't march on Vienna after his victory like Napoleon and didn't make the French suffer too much, he wanted alliances later.
Even aside from the fact that there is MAD, the US would want a balance of power in Asia, if China is completely defeated, it is just as bad if not worse for US. Due to the size of China and population, US can never hope to contain us the same way it did Japan, that's just a fact, so a relationship is still very much needed.
It's similar to why France was not split up after Napoleonic wars and concert of Europe was created, it is also something that contributed to Napoleon's end because he didn't care to understand it.