Why are we installing a military base in Australia? and sending ships to the Pacific?

[xiamiam]

I keep hearing background noise about this but I don't get it. Why?

[liberal N proud]

1. Maybe we are getting ready to attack Antarctica

[Lawlbringer]

5. Those God Damned

Penguins have gone FAR enough. The line must be drawn here. This far. NO FURTHER!

[redqueen]

2. China

[xiamiam]

8. why is China a threat to the US now? because we owe them money? because most consumer products are

made there? because more Americans are doing business with China than any time in the last century?

[redqueen]

10. Resources...

I'd suspect mostly oil... also long-term strategy, China isn't making many friends in the area, and if we could make some, well... that might come in handy someday.

[xiamiam]

13. right, it worked so well for us in the middle east

appreciate your insight

[Scuba]

16. It's either oil or some other money-making scheme for the 1%....

..... Oil would be my first choice, could be just for the military expense, could be some other trade stuff.



I don't think China is a threat to us, militarily.

[zoechen]

3. Here

is what the WSJ says about it.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203537304577028490161890480.html

[xiamiam]

11. thanks for the article..no matter how they try to explain it..my gut tells me its not good...nt

[zoechen]

12. Your Welcome

I guess it is what it is.

Or not.

[Fawke Em]

4. China

[RC]

6. We need to start another Hot Spot

The Middle East seems to be dieing down (No pun intended), even against our best efforts.

[Lawlbringer]

7. Begun

the vegemite wars have.

[Found in Yonkers]

9. Extremist kangaroos

They can carry a lot more than offspring in those pouches!

[BumRushDaShow]

14. My father fought in WW II in the Pacific Theater

out of the islands around Australia (e.g., New Hebrides now named vanuatu). So we've always been over in that area.

Not that it is "right", but this is nothing new - at least since WW2 (and probably earlier).

[MadHound]

15. Gotta keep the MIC well fed and cared for

Of course, the administration will tell you it is all about the "threat" from China, but let's look at reality. China is still looking to launch its first aircraft carrier. It has 249 bombers, a bit over 1,600 fighter planes, and while the number of China's army is about twice that of the US, the fact is their equipment is second rate and old. Not to mention that overall, we spend far more on our military than China, or any other country for that matter.

China is not a military threat, but rather a convenient bogie man to scare people into keeping those military budgets increasing.

[Angleae]

22. China has been upgrading their equipment for years.

Their air force contains nearly 500 modern fighters (Su-27/30/J-11 & J-10) and a rougly equal number of older planes (J-7 & J-8) and they put their first carrier to sea a couple months ago along with several modern destroyers and submarines.

[Romulox]

17. Um, to defend our liberties from evil-doers?

[xchrom]

18. It's an expensive love letter to china. Nt

[tawadi]

19. Reminds me of Risk!

[xiamiam]

21. used to play that game. players who spread themselves all over the planet were sure to lose.nt

[yurbud]

20. the Aborigines have been making boomerangs of mass destruction at an alarming rate

and there have been rumors of suicide kangaroos loaded with explosives jumping on barbie's just as everyone open's their Foster's.