Fallenangel
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2013
- Messages
- 3,416
- Reaction score
- 1,099
- Location
- Israel/Russia/UK
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Undisclosed
No they couldn't. The article also hedges enormously:
"Kashin says it is "highly probable" that by 2020 China could defeat the US in a local conflict in the east part of the Pacific or slow down the transportation of US forces to the region..." Not that this is likely either but it is a vast difference.
Actually what Kashin said was this;
"It is possible that after the completion of the current cycle of military reform and rearmament by 2020 China will be quite capable in the local conflict to quickly defeat the U.S. allies and U.S. forces in the western Pacific Ocean, disrupting or slowing down the transfer of U.S. forces to the region from other parts of world. China may be able to achieve the political goals of the war before the United States in the region will focus the energy needed to complete a counterattack .
Trying to punish China and knock it out from its positions after an accomplished Chinese victory would mean for the U.S. entry into a protracted military conflict with a major foreign power - the first time since the Korean War. While no guarantee of victory and a real risk of a nuclear catastrophe. The strongest militarily U.S. allies will be in Europe and are unlikely to be able or interested in helping . The U.S. may simply have to accept defeat."
Cheers,
Fallen.