Should we be afraid?

http://news.yahoo.com/digging-china-nuclear-tunnels-013008319.html

Why would they bomb their largest foreign customer base? Doesn't make any sense. Unless we all stop shopping at Walmart it is economically retarded for them to launch missiles at us. Oh, and there's the 'earthquakes destroying their tunnels all the time' thing to consider. Apparently prevailing wisdom in China is that tunnels in a seismically-active area are totally safe, just like lead in kids toys and poison in pet food.

Makes sense.

Twin_Cam wrote: Why would they bomb their largest foreign customer base?

People who eat chicken feet are crazy enough to do anything.

Man, this really gives me the creeps.

chicken feet can't be any worse than wings...

In reply to mad_machine:

I try to avoid bones, skin, cartilage, all of that crap in my food.

But to stay on topic, the Chinese make me a little nervous just because there are tons of them and I can't quite figure out what kind of ultimate goals they have as a country.

Twin_Cam wrote: Why would they bomb their largest foreign customer base? Doesn't make any sense. Unless we all stop shopping at Walmart it is economically retarded for them to launch missiles at us.

Why would Wilhemine Germany provoke the antagonism of Great Britain, the world's greatest naval power of the era, by developing a major blue-water navy, at a time when its economic growth and security were increasingly tied to overseas exports of industrial products and imports of the raw materials needed to manufacture them?

Not to say that the circumstances are identical, but simply that what seems obvious and rational is not always viewed similarly on the other side.

War is never a rational thing, but armed robbery writ large.

cwh wrote: War is never a rational thing, but armed robbery writ large.

Offensive war for territorial gain, perhaps, but there have been quite a few wars that don't fit that model, many of them quite rational for at least some of the participant decision-makers.

Having almost married a girl from mainland china.. I kinda have a grasp on some parts of their culture. I honestly do not worry about them.. right now.

The chinese culture praises stability. They do not like turmoil and rapid change. So as long as the current leaders are in place.. all should be well.

The problem arises when the Maoists lose the mandate from heaven and get overthrown. They are like any other Dynasty, their days were numbered as soon as they came to power.

And yes.. I consider Communist rule in china as just another Dynasty.

At least the nuclear weapons will have Chinese-built guidance systems.

Recently I posted a similar thread on the Snow Journal Message Board. Snow Journal

Read the whole thread and the links. we should be afraid.

An excerpt from my Snow Journal post.

China, has almost 1.5billion people. That is with their 1 child per couple policy.

If they convince 10% of 1.5billion to rise up against the rest of the world.....

The whole world should be worried..

For the record 10% of 1.5 billion is this

10% of 1.5 billion = 150 000 000

One Hundred Fifty Million potential military personnel........... Wrap your head around that...

After all that I said there is still a small matter of the foreign aid still being paid to China............. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501707_162-57324812/lawmakers-scrutinize-us-foreign-aid-to-china/

drsmooth wrote: Read the whole thread and the links. we should be afraid. China, has almost 1.5billion people. That is with their 1 child per couple policy.

China isn't interested nor is it the country to aim 1960's propoganda nonsense at anymore.

People here are too busy enjoying all the fruits of rampant capitalism such as new houses, cars, holidays, living life well and investing in, ironically, America to actually give a E36 M3 about being involved in any conflict.

Unfortunately I read the same stupid parallel minority articles here about America as you do about China - I laugh at them too as I laugh at your linked article.

The birth rate in China is around 1.4 children per couple, comparable to some Western countries.

Relax, have a beer and worry about where the real threats exist.

drsmooth wrote: After all that I said there is still a small matter of the foreign aid still being paid to China............. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501707_162-57324812/lawmakers-scrutinize-us-foreign-aid-to-china/

I would be surprised at anyone not understanding how miniscule an amount of $4 million is within the scale of trade economics that range in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

Would you like to know how much China gives out in foreign aid presently?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2011/apr/28/china-foreign-aid-policy-report

Hope that helps.

Trans_Maro wrote: At least the nuclear weapons will have Chinese-built guidance systems.

Ha! There's that to consider, too. Their nukes will be like North Korea's...they'll take off, fly 1000 feet and crash.