In a recent opinion, the Washington Post published a book review titled “Think we have military primacy over China? Think again.” The book titled “The Kill Chain” authored Mr. Chris Brose on 13 May 2020. The Author is a well-versed defense analyst and close to Pentagon. He has a deep insight of American defense capabilities. Based on his information and facts, he has exposed the American Defense capabilities.
Earlier, a report by the National Defense Strategy Commission clearly explains the current status of the US. “America’s ability to defend its allies, its partners and its vital interests is increasingly in doubt,” obviously allies may not support the US in case of any war. The report says “Russia and China are challenging the United States, its allies and its partners on a far greater scale than has any adversary since the Cold War’s end,” further says “If the United States had to fight Russia in a Baltic contingency or China in a war over Taiwan,” the report warned, “Americans could face a decisive military defeat.”
The report identified a set of six trends, it said had fundamentally altered the strategic environment now facing the United States:
1. The return of major-power competition from authoritarian powers like Russia and China.
2. The rise and expanded military capabilities of aggressive regional challengers like Iran and North Korea.
3. Evolving and intensifying threats from jihadist groups.
4. Rising “gray-zone” aggression, which includes strong-arm diplomacy and economic coercion, media manipulation and cyber-attacks, paramilitary and proxy forces.
5. The proliferation of advanced technology – hypersonic and Artificial Intelligence, for instance – that is eroding U.S. advantages and creating new vulnerabilities.
6. And political dysfunction – budgetary instability and reduced defense investment.
With huge defense expenditures, its economy suffered and started to decline. Even the common taxpayer in the US is asking the Government for accountability of his/her tax money. Whatsoever, the official statistics show, but a common man does not feel safe and secure, as a result of aggressive policies, anti-American sentiments have grown world-wide gradually. The Americans do not feel safe and secure, at home and abroad equally. The common citizen is worried and still suffering. COVID-19 has exposed America completely. The US is the worst-hit country by the outbreak with the highest number of infections and the highest death toll. It proved the last nail in the coffin.
The US policies of aggression and high-defense spending have cost the US economy adversely. The US funding for the UN and its subordinate organizations like WHO was reduced to a big extent, furthermore, the US is curtailing its defense expenditures on its ally’s security and facing isolation. France, Germany, UK, and Japan, do not feel comfortable with the current policies of the US. In case of war, US allies may not support or participate.
The report also indicates that the US has plans to go to war with China or Russia and they have identified the battlefields too. In the case of China, war on Taiwan issue and in the case of Russia, the Baltic region. But, once the war starts, it is beyond some one’s control and may spread to all other parts of the world, which one may not have thought of. I must appreciate, the report is based on facts, no manipulations, or fake.
COVID-19 may have a huge impact on geopolitics and post-pandemic, the landscape may be changed completely. Pandemic might harm many nations and individuals, but at the same time, may provide relief to others. Many countries may realign themselves with emerging and rising powers and leaving their old masters. The completely different world order is visibly predicted and inevitable.
Reposts are welcomed with the reference to ORIENTAL REVIEW.
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