The head of US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) on Friday sounded the alarm on China and Russia’s growing cooperation, calling it “extremely dangerous” and accused Beijing of “the largest military buildup” since World War II.
Adm. John Aquilino said China’s actions mean the US should spend more money on building up Guam’s defenses. INDOPACOM is seeking additional funds for a program known as the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, and part of the plan is to buildup US military facilities in Guam.
“Guam has a 360-degree threat, so our ability to defend it and to be able to operate from there is absolutely critical,” Aquilino said at an event hosted by the hawkish Foundation for the Defense of Democracies think tank. “I won’t have any timeline so I could see a continuous improvement and a continuous threat, and what that leads me to do is to move with a sense of urgency.”
China has been identified by the Pentagon as the top “threat” facing the US military and is used to justify massive military spending. The US is planning a military buildup in the Asia Pacific with a focus on alliance-building, meaning China could face a similar situation as Russia has with NATO expansion in Eastern Europe.
Facing similar pressure from the West, Russia and China have boosted military and economic ties in recent years. The two countries recently declared there are “no limits” to their partnership.
Aquilino said the “most concerning” aspect of the war in Ukraine is that “the People’s Republic of China has declared a no-limits policy in support of Russia and what that means to both the Indo-Pacific and the globe.”
“If those two nations were to truly demonstrate and deliver a no-limits policy, I think what that means is we’re currently in an extremely dangerous time and place in the history of humanity if that were to come true,” he added.
The US has accused China of planning to support Russia militarily in its war in Ukraine, but there was no evidence for the claim, and Beijing has repeatedly denied the accusation. China has significantly stepped up its import of Russian oil, more than making up for the decline in purchases from the US and its allies.
The US and its allies should play on their side of the pond and let China and Russia play on their side. Never the tween shall meet (I would hope).
Change “play” to “stay”. They shouldn’t be playing either, but I get your drift.
Well then you have Japan, Korea…
They can defend themselves.
Guam is in the middle.
What he is really saying I need more Cash.
The status of Guam, essentially a US colony, is unconstitutional hence must end. Take in or let go.
Half measures also contribute to its vulnerability. It would be safer if it had the defense from elsewhere implied by being more fully part of the US.
It should be decided by the people of Guam.
First you force China and Russia into each other’s arms and then you claim you need more cash to defend against something you instigated. The only thing more stupefying is that they continue to get away with the same bullshit over and over again. He even used Ukraine as example of the very same bullshit as if it was a legitimate reason.
That is part of why they instigated this.
The other parts are just as greed-driven by the same greedy people, those who see profit from uni-polar control (hegemony).
Yet they themselves have put this beyond our reach even more than it would have been anyway, by their over-reach and greed. It is like Old Spain running down its remaining potential in vast wars it could not win.
Instead of wasting more money down a rathole, maybe just leave Guam and take care of our southern border. These nuts are never satisfied and always want more money.
How about leaving Okinawa so the natives there can breath again. My G-d, there are 35,000 Marines on that little island. The main businesses on that island are whore houses.
Russia doesn’t need China support militarily… They are capable enough…! The Admiral is Delusional like Trump…!
The bubbly is flowing in the corporate offices of the manufacturers of death. Oh yeah.
Far be it for me to wax nostalgic but it has been a long time since the last World War………………… Might be time to dust off the old bomb shelter…
You have one? Wow!
It’s very claustrophobic…
SciFi author Robert A. Heinlein and wife attempted to make their atomic bomb shelter larger, more comfortable, and to use it as a working part of their home. It served as a “family room” including TV viewing and games, and for storage oriented toward emergency needs. It could be sealed off from the rest of the house and the world, existing deep enough underground to be real shelter. That allowed them to make a bigger investment in the comfort of the place without total waste.
Their project got a good bit of press at the time, which I suppose served the publicity purposes of a SciFi author.
The same could be done much better today. The idea of emergency supplies also still appeals to some, and may even make sense in some regions.
I have a crawl space. And my emergency supplies are what I bought at the store this morning.
With all the nukes out there, I’d hate to open the door of that bomb shelter when it’s all done. I think I might rather be under a direct hit.
Agree, Wars. If I had my choice I’d prefer to be instantly vaporized.
If China is indeed building up its military, it’s in response to Amerikkkan threats.
China is building its military to counter US/NATO/five eyes and Japan. Chinese aircraft carriers are now being launched at about one per year. The new destroyer class may be the strongest military ships on Earth. Protection of its blueberry trade with Chile is one reason.
Ask why chess master Russians guarding the continent since Genghis Khan’s son was mayor of Moscow would charge into Europe— Straight up the middle against opponents with fifteen times the military budget and ten times the population?
One reason is the train from Beijing to London passes through Moscow and there’s commuter rail service to many Ukrainian towns and cities. As an aside, when New York banksters drove Greece bankrupt, China bought Athens Harbor.
“No limits to Russia and China’s partnership…” That sounds a bit risqué …
Heh! Does that mean we’ll be seeing half Russian/half Chinese children in the near future? 😉
lol
“wants additional funding to buildup US military facilities in Guam”
hasn’t uncle sam had a giant military presence in Guam since ww2?
The flim flam seems to be turning an almost nice profit. But it must get higher.
China is building a massive military, but China is a massive country I fail to see how this isn’t their right. With the Soviet Union/Russia the USA had a competitor that had a weak economy, with China the (made in China) shoe is on the other foot. So that does complicate things.
Before WW2, the US decided NOT to attempt to defend Guam. That was despite its good harbor, airfield potential, and important location on a key route from the Philippines to the US.
The decision was hard-eyed: it was indefensible. It is too small and too isolated either to be made self sustaining or to reach it with enough force to save it.
That is still true. It is tiny, with a small population that could not be mobilized for self defense, and no space or capacity to bring in enough people to make a real defense.
It is useful, but not defensible. Its use depends on defense based elsewhere.
The US is planning to use it to defend elsewhere, when in fact it needs defense elsewhere just to survive.
We need some real leaders, like we had before WW2, to call this out for the nonsense it is.
Aquillino: Another political cockroach seeking to feather his bead.
Be very clear the current Chinese response is to keep the South China sea open to Its shipping, they are making sure that the West cannot close the Singapore Straits and the other straits through Indonesia, it is their OIL lifeline and be clear they will defend it if there is a threat by the West to close it! This is part of the strategy relating to East Timor as well. They are also making sure that they have the secondary route up along the Australian Coast to the East of Australia the long way around and the reason for engaging the Solomon Islands and other Islands in the region!! That is also why they have fortified the Paracel’s!
If Biden was not so busy giving Ukraine taxpayers money he might have some for Guam.
No to Biden, No to NATO, and No to more money for Guam.
Perhaps POS obama should have sent money to Guam during his disastrous time screwing up America.