What detirmines military might?

[Tassidar]

And the Great Satan doesn't scare you seeing that it already has WMDs and it's the only country ever to use nukes on people? Aren't you scared when thinking about Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay etc? I am.

If the US wanted to invade us, it would have already done so. The US uses other (largely non-military) means to get what it wants in Africa.

China, with its large demand for resources is less well known. If they start finding themselves short of resources, they may be forced to recolonise Africa.

I know that both Aus and Singapore are watching China very closely.

 

[Angelo]

If the US wanted to invade us, it would have already done so. The US uses other (largely non-military) means to get what it wants in Africa.

China, with its large demand for resources is less well known. If they start finding themselves short of resources, they may be forced to recolonise Africa.

I know that both Aus and Singapore are watching China very closely.

Agreed, but the threat is not always direct. With big conflicts you can find yourselves in the line of fire having to join one side or the other. Consequences can spread worldwide.

 

[icyrus]

If the US wanted to invade us, it would have already done so. The US uses other (largely non-military) means to get what it wants in Africa.

China, with its large demand for resources is less well known. If they start finding themselves short of resources, they may be forced to recolonise Africa.

I know that both Aus and Singapore are watching China very closely.

I'm sure Russia will also have valid reasons for concern.

 

[RompelStompel]

I'm sure Russia will also have valid reasons for concern.

Japan as well.

 

[Tassidar]

Agreed, but the threat is not always direct. With big conflicts you can find yourselves in the line of fire having to join one side or the other. Consequences can spread worldwide.

I agree with you on that point. One of our government's strengths in the past, has been our ability to remain diplomatically neutral. Let's hope we can maintain that, especially since we face the risk of internal conflict if we don't. Siding with America can have consquences (remember Planet Hollywood), while siding with Iran or China might dry up much of our precious FDI.

Japan as well.

Japan in particualar. Old memories die hard, and the Japanese attrocities committed in WWII will still be on the mind of the Chinese. Invasion could bring the opportunity for revenge. Something Japan would not relish.

 

[JayM]

Aircraft carriers are key. If you want to pulverise another country with air strikes, you need carriers, and the US has lots of them. It would be difficult for any other country to attack the US because they don't have enough carriers to support the large number of aircraft that would be required.

I think the US currently has more functional aircraft carriers than every other nation put together. Scary.

 

[RompelStompel]

Rule the Skies , you rule the waters (since Midway).

 

[sox63]

Japan as well.

Speaking of Japan, they and Germany rank quite highly in the list. I thought that after the World Wars restrictions were put on their armed forces? If so, imagine where they would be without those restrictions?

 

[Syndyre]

Speaking of Japan, they and Germany rank quite highly in the list. I thought that after the World Wars restrictions were put on their armed forces? If so, imagine where they would be without those restrictions?

Those restrictions don't apply any more AFAIK. Japan does have very strict self-imposed limitations about how the forces can be used though.

 

[RompelStompel]

Speaking of Japan, they and Germany rank quite highly in the list. I thought that after the World Wars restrictions were put on their armed forces? If so, imagine where they would be without those restrictions?

Bundeswehr was created in 1955 when West Germany joined NATO.

Don't recall any restrictions being imposed on the post-WWII Bundeswehr.

Think you might be referring to the post-WWI restrictions imposed on the Reichswehr.

 

[icyrus]

Japan in particualar. Old memories die hard, and the Japanese attrocities committed in WWII will still be on the mind of the Chinese. Invasion could bring the opportunity for revenge. Something Japan would not relish.

I would think Japans alliance with the US would mean that China would look elsewhere before considering Japan a target.

 

[edc]

being able to do a Zerg rush early on in the game.

 

[Freshy-ZN]

Like someone said: carriers are key. Having a shedload of nukes as a deterrent also helps. China may have more soldiers but training and equiping those soldiers to a level of other countries costs too much. China has lots of 'militia' running around with AKs.

I remember a few years ago it was said that one US carrier group had more ships, helis and planes that the whole SAAF and SA Navy put together. You start to get the picture. But also very important is Intel. The US, UK NATO et al have this like no others.

 

[Nanfeishen]

China may have more soldiers but training and equiping those soldiers to a level of other countries costs too much. China has lots of 'militia' running around with AKs.

Sorry to say, but China has a lot more than what you assume, their training is a lot better than you think , and they certainly dont have a lot of "militia" running around, they are a little more organised than that.
The problem is that China keeps its military cards close to its chest, and there military programs are a lot more secretive than in the West, so there is a lot of conjecture about what is and what isnt.
By 2005 their defense budget was about 30 billion U.S.$, and if you look at the following link you can see many of the stats are 2 years and older, indicating a lack of intelligence with regards China's military spenditure, equipment and capabilities.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/index.html

 

[noxibox]

It would be a mistake to underestimate the Chinese. I think they have the potential to dwarf the US in economic and military power.

 

[marine1]

And the Great Satan doesn't scare you seeing that it already has WMDs and it's the only country ever to use nukes on people? Aren't you scared when thinking about Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay etc? I am.

Maybe because you have something to hide? If you are a person who obeys the law then you have nothing to fear.

 

[Darth Garth]

If you look at this list you might understand why the US, is far more cuatious in initiating a war with any of the REAL threats (Iran, North Korea and to a smaller extent, China).

China did actually engage US led allied forces (under a UN command) in the Korean War [1950] when 270,000 so called Chinese "volunteers" swarmed over the border when Gen McArthur approached the Yalu river.

The US led forces got their butts kicked and had to retreat all the way to the DMZ with the commies eventually capturing Seoul.

A stalemate followed with an eventual peace agreement.

 

[supersunbird]

The US might have less men than China, but the US has many many force multipliers that increase the effectiveness of weapons platforms.

 

[RompelStompel]

China did actually engage US led allied forces (under a UN command) in the Korean War [1950] when 270,000 so called Chinese "volunteers" swarmed over the border when Gen McArthur approached the Yalu river.

The US led forces got their butts kicked and had to retreat all the way to the DMZ with the commies eventually capturing Seoul.

A stalemate followed with an eventual peace agreement.

Forgot the Inchon landings.

Yep , Korean War never did realize a clear victory for either side.

 

[Angelo]

Maybe because you have something to hide? If you are a person who obeys the law then you have nothing to fear.

Ja...like the innocent women and little children of Iraq had nothing to fear.