Consider the audacity of such an idea. An 80-year undeclared war would entangle 20 future presidential terms stretching far into the future of voters not yet born. The American death toll in Iraq and Afghanistan now approaches 5,000, with the number of wounded a multiple many times greater. Including the American dead from 9/11, that's 8,000 dead so far in the first decade of the Long War. And if the American armed forces are stretched thin today, try to conceive of seven more decades of combat.
Three things that crossed my mind:
-If Iraq is just a small war (of $3 trillion) and taking into account the current huge deficit, how could the West and in particular the US ever fund such a long war?
-If Iraq is just a small war that has already taken the lives of approximately 5,000 coalition troops, how could we possibly sustain a war that would last 80 years? With two ''small'' wars only, the US is highly dependent on its allies while its military is already spread very thin. To me it seems conscription would be highly required for this to be possible.
-The fact that the US has established a significant number of permanent bases in Iraq and perhaps in Afghanistan as well could very well be part of the preparation for this war.
Taking a look at the map of Asia, it is obvious that American influence in the region is being expanded. Those countries of any significance that oppose Americanism, are dealt with (Iraq, Afghanistan and in the future perhaps Pakistan and Iran).
To me it seems that China is getting surrounded by pro-American (puppet) regimes. Does it make sense to assume that the strategy that is being realized is aimed at China?
related threads:
Iran - The Battlefield of The Sino-American Struggle for Power
China circled by chain of US anti-missile systems
www.altern et.org
(visit the link for the full news article)
[edit on 3-4-2010 by Mdv2]
