Analysis: U.S. military says keeps up with China; Is it enough?

[unhappycamper]

Analysis: U.S. military says keeps up with China; Is it enough?
By Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON | Tue Feb 1, 2011 1:11am EST

(Reuters) - U.S. military commanders are expressing confidence that they can hold their own in the face of faster-than-expected advances by China's military, but looming cost cuts are adding to doubts about the future of American power in the Pacific.

Fueled by its booming economy, China's military growth over the past decade has exceeded most U.S. forecasts. Its plans to develop aircraft carriers, anti-satellite missiles and other advanced systems have alarmed neighbors and Washington.

Critics, including within the U.S. Congress, note with apprehension that rising Chinese defense spending coincides with Washington's plans to scale back its budgets.

They accuse the Pentagon of appearing flat-footed in its response to China's military advances, like the development of a stealth fighter jet and a new missile that could challenge U.S. aircraft carriers.

~snip~

The core U.S. defense budget -- not including war funding -- was $530 billion in 2010. That's well beyond China's 532.1 billion yuan (about $80 billion) in official defense spending. Analysts believe that China's military spending is much higher than it publicly admits.



unhappycamper comment: "Analysts believe that China's military spending is much higher than it publicly admits."

One could also say "Analysts believe that the United States' military spending is much higher than it publicly admits."

[niyad]

1. isn't this the same thinking that caused us so much trouble during the cold war? the same crap the

military fed us about the soviet union?

[madrchsod]

2. china or india? who`s side are we going to be on?

[Angry Dragon]

3. One can never have enough Big Boy Killing Things

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