jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Let's try to keep this out of The Attic.

Here’s a fact that ought to startle every American who assumes that because we spend nearly $1 trillion each year on defense, we have primacy over our emerging rival, China. Over the past decade, in U.S. war games against China, the United States has a nearly perfect record: We have lost almost every single time.

That’s a quote from a new book called “The K**l Chain: Defending America in the Future of High-Tech Warfare,” the most provocative critique of U.S. defense policy I’ve read in years. It’s written by Christian Brose, former staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a close adviser to late senator John McCain (R-Ariz.). The book isn’t just a wake-up call, it’s a fire alarm in the night.

There is nothing partisan about this statement. The author is not condemning one President or one party. He is condemning the love for the status quo, which is shared by both the Pentagon and Congress. Our defense program is built around spending money, but it's not being spent in the right ways. Read the article or read the book, and you will see that this is an institutional problem, not based on any one party.

Okay, now. Let's try some self control and see if we can have an intelligent discussion about this.

Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA

The Reagan Administration's efforts to "Civilize the heathens" backfired. Some were against opening up trade and tech t***sfers. We must remember that the People's Republic of China is a C*******t regime. Their goal is World Dominance-never forget it.

They have stolen much of what they now use in their military equipment. Recent press reports concerning Chinese hacking of our systems, including military systems shows their on-going efforts to overcome every other government and dominate the world.

I believe our stance should be one of tough but thoughtful responses to their adventures- Taiwan being an example. Continued research and development of weapons systems and demonstration of the effectiveness and capabilities of our equipment, holding back the best parts. We cannot back down from any aggression, from any source.

I believe that the Chinese arranged the release of the C****-** v***s and is closely monitoring the results. This is an attack on humanity. Reports show that only a few regions in China were effected to any degree. If true this shows that a planned release, followed up with data collection the world in providing is giving them the info needed to release a far more virulent pathogen, ebola-type, when they are ready. One wonders why the Chinese, perfectly capable of producing PPE, was reported to be buying up all of the PPE they could in March and April 2020.

I believe they are at war with us, alibi a quiet, behind-the-scenes war. We must Not let our guard down.

ski Loc: West Coast, USA

I totally agree!! To much of our secret defense information has been either hijacked or sold to China by poor security and espionage.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Without our R&D, Russia and China wouldn't have a real military. Did you ever see Russia's space shuttle?

gmcase Loc: Galt's Gulch

It was a serious mistake opening up China. I was against it then and still am. C*******m had failed in China by the time Nixon "opened" China with his visit. Instead, they adopted C*******m's close cousin, F*****m. If you look at how China operates today, it has virtually every feature of historical F*****m right down to the nationalistic element. We have many f*****ts today in the world operating under the deceitful cloak of being against it but if you look at their policies, agenda and actions they align with historical f*****m closely but without the nationalist element. I refer to them as g*******t or multi-cultural f*****ts as their economic and social policies mirror historical examples of f*****m such as in Germany, Italy, Spain and Japan.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The world is a scary place. It's good we don't live forever. We'd all go crazy after a while.

Kraken Loc: Barry's Bay

Been around for a long time and the way things are going the big dirt nap is

starting to looking better and better.