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Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War!
Gen. Shelton sees China as growing threat to U.S.
By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
The Pentagon's top general warned yesterday that China may emerge as a
Soviet-like superpower in the coming years. Top Stories
"I am firmly convinced that we need to focus all elements of U.S. power
and diplomacy on ensuring that China does not become the 21st-century version
of the Soviet bear," said Gen. Henry H. Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, during a speech to the National Press Club.
In particular, the United States needs to convince China that resolving
its differences with Taiwan peacefully "is the only way ahead."
China's government stated in a recent official report that the situation
in the Taiwan Strait was "grim." The Communist government is building up its
missile forces opposite the island and has also stepped up threatening
rhetoric, calling for unification, through force if necessary.
Gen. Shelton said the combination of a capitalist-style economy and
Communist political dictatorship is a potential threat to regional stability.
He noted that it will not be easy for the United States to prevent China from
becoming a new Soviet Union.
"China takes a distrustful view of the United States' intentions, as
articulated in their recent defense white paper," he said. The government
white paper characterized the United States as a global menace and threat to
peace.
"They are aggressively modernizing their military forces, both
conventional as well as nuclear. At the same time, they hope to maintain
control of an expanding capitalist-like economy under a communist hierarchy
that embraces centralized planning and centralized control.
"This situation is a contradiction that could threaten China's internal
power, and consequently threaten stability throughout the region."
Gen. Shelton made no mention of the recent long-range missile test
carried out by China during his visit to the country last month.
The flight test of the new DF-31 mobile missile was the second in the
missile-development program and officials said a third flight test could take
place in the next several weeks.
The four-star general, who will finish his term as Joint Chiefs chairman
in September, said the next administration will need to boost defense
spending by $60 billion to $100 billion to fix problems caused by
underfunding during the Clinton administration, a depletion that has caused a
"fraying" of the military.
The problem for defense planners is "plenty of strategy, not enough
forces," Gen. Shelton said.
"And the wear and tear on our equipment is significant, leading to what
has been termed as a fraying of our force," he said.
Recent instability in Haiti, Africa, Indonesia and Southwest Asia
provide a window on the future international-security environment, Gen.
Shelton said.
"I think we all realize it's murky, it's frustrating and it's
increasingly dangerous," he said.
Asked if there will be any changes in the military's "don't ask, don't
tell" policy of permitting homosexuals to serve secretly in the ranks, Gen.
Shelton said: "I think that the current policy strikes the right balance
between the requirements for good law, order and discipline, and provides for
opportunities for men and women to serve the nation, and I think from the
policy standpoint, we've got it right."
Improvements can be made in implementing the policy, he noted.
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