Keeping and eye on the long game: Part XVI

At least someone in Congress is keeping an eye on the Long Game.

China, though, is expanding and improving its military. Last year alone it increased its defense spending by about 14 percent.

"Why do I care? China doesn't have a major impact on my district." But in wondering if the United States is paying enough attention to the growing nation, Forbes added, "China is not North Korea or Iran. If anyone has a confrontation with China, there won't be a winner and loser. There will be all losers."

We have to cross the Pacific to get to them. All they have to do is get underway for a couple of days max.

China also might have its own aircraft carrier coming online in the near future. Since the mid-1980s, China has been purchasing scrap carriers from other countries and studying the parts to build their own.

If China were to get three aircraft carriers, Forbes said, the United States might be forced to rethink its own aircraft carrier fleet, which Congress just shrunk to 11. Forbes, who visited a Chinese shipyard early last year, said "Their drydocks were full. They were churning out ships in six months."

The United States should be paying close attention, he said, because one of China's military goals is to be able to "make us blink."

They don't even have to make us blink. All they need to do is have us think, "Aww hell. It ain't worth it." I call it the Porcupine Strategy.