One of the most reactionary syndicated columnists in America, Cal Thomas, today takes a broad, bloody swipe at China, leaving his readers (who aren’t the brightest bulbs on the tree to begin with) with the distinct impression that China poses a near-imminent threat to America and we need to take action before it’s too late.
This alarmist nonsense is wrapped around Thomas’ salivating endorsement of a book, China: The Gathering Threat by Constantine Menges — an old-school Communist hater, in love with covert operations, the contras, the death squads, etc. (To be fair, Menges was a noble human being who helped people flee the USSR; he was obsessed, however, with the threat of “Red China” until his death last year.) Thomas oozes fear and loathing of China as he venerates Menges.
Menges writes that China has defined America as its ‘‘main enemy’’ and can now launch nuclear weapons at the United States that are capable of killing 100 million of us. China’s effective espionage operation in the U.S. has managed to steal the designs of nearly all nuclear warheads and other military secrets, he says.
China has threatened to destroy entire American cities if the U.S. helps Taiwan defend itself against a military assault or invasion, Menges writes. China also buys weapons from Russia that are designed to sink U.S. aircraft carriers. It controls more than $200 billion in U.S. debt and sells more than 40 percent of its exports to America, using the profits to strengthen its economy and advanced weapons systems aimed at the U.S.
Until recently, American policy has been to give China access to U.S. markets in hopes that might reduce tensions and hasten democratic reform. It has done no such thing. Menges argues it is time to try another approach.
First, he says, the U.S. must finish development of a reliable missile defense system that can be easily expanded should China, Russia or any nation attempt to overwhelm us by building additional missiles. Menges says the cost of expanding a missile defense system is far less than building new missiles and such cost will be prohibitive to enemy nations once they realize the U.S. can’t be successfully attacked.
Without a working missile defense system, he writes, the increased number of warheads and missiles now available and under construction will make the Chinese threat substantial; he estimates by 2008, China will have more than 400 warheads capable of reaching U.S. territory.
Look, I can’t stand the CCP and I know China’s dumping lots of money into its military. But so are we. Is the US the only nation entitled to be armed? China needs to be watched and, if necessary, reined in. But to portray them as eager to destroy US cities over Taiwan…It’s the closest I’ve seen to good, old-fashioned red baiting. Get a load of this:
As anyone who has bought anything can attest, the United States is fulfilling one of Lenin’s doctrines by purchasing the rope with which the communists plan to hang us. Too many things sold in America are made in China, and too many corporations have moved their plants and operations to China, undermining the U.S. domestic economy and helping a nation that seeks to destroy us.
One of many countermeasures recommended by Menges is the expulsion of all companies that function as fronts for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army or other military or intelligence-related entities in China, Russia or any other nonallied state. Investigative reporter Kenneth R. Timmerman estimates there are hundreds of such front companies in Southern California alone.
Rumsfeld’s remarks and Menges’ book reveal China’s commitment to expanding its empire by intimidation and force, and how the U.S. had better take China’s seriousness seriously if we are to confront and repel it.
So, Southern California is crawling with PLA frontmen determined to destroy us. Who knew? (Never mind that if they destroy us they’d be up shit’s creek, since Walmart won’t be ordering those cheap shoes and tricycles from Guangzhou anymore.)
The decibel level of articles like this is steadily increasing, and poor Mr. Bush, who sold his soul to the far right, will soon find himself in a serious dilemma on the China issue because these loons see China as our blood enemy. There is no compromise. On the other hand, another part of Bush’s soul has been sold to the Corporations, which depend on China to make those cheap toys and textiles (and everything else).
My bet is that Bush is not crazy enough to join the China haters. Just like the immigration issue, he’ll toss in some rhetoric but choose a moderate approach. At least I hope so, ‘cuz if he takes these nutjobs seriously we’re all in trouble.
1
By jillian
we’ll go in to free the bloggers…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=5&ObjectID=10329447
I don’t think I’ll take your bet on BushCo not being crazy enough to join the China haters. They’re taking “our” oil, you know.
The news is just getting more bizarre by the moment.
June 7, 2005 @ 2:27 pm | Comment
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By Anonymous
Hi, it’s not a problem of which side that Bush will choose. It’s just a game. Companies which may gain from China will push to grab bigger chinese market share by taking advantage of neo-con’s pressure on China, and companies which may not gain from China will maintain their domestic market share or grab huge weapon orders from the govermnent which may sustain more working class people in US. With the threat of China, everybody wins in US!!! If I were him, I would use this trick too…’cause it’s easy and big money for those lobbists to make .
June 7, 2005 @ 2:35 pm | Comment
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By richard
Jillian, thanks for that great link – I just put up a post about it.
June 7, 2005 @ 2:47 pm | Comment
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By Ken
I don’t see Bush doing a thing about China. Too much money to be made by their friends, and anyway Bush WANTS the price of oil to go up (remember, these guys are oilmen).
June 7, 2005 @ 3:41 pm | Comment
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By Laowai 19790204
I ran into someone from the Mainland who defended his military by protesting that the military spending was necessary for modernisation, partly because “the nuclear warheads are mounted on diesel fueled rockets”
is this even possible?
June 7, 2005 @ 4:19 pm | Comment
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By Martey
Laowai, perhaps he was referring to the fact that older rockets use liquid instead of solid fuel?
June 7, 2005 @ 6:22 pm | Comment
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By Laowai 19790204
That must be it. Thanks. I was puzzled.
June 7, 2005 @ 6:46 pm | Comment
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By Filthy Stinking No.9
Well, it is true that certain lower level Chinese officials have made public statements about using nukes against USA if she should get involved in a China-Taiwan war … This is true, in the same way that a lot of Chinese paranoia is based on real evidence. It doesn’t make it any less dangerous … but there is a basis for it.
June 7, 2005 @ 7:25 pm | Comment
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By Henry
the most incomprehensible thing is a considerable part of GDP was put on astronautics(such as ShenZhou) and still skyrocketing, i don’t think it will benfit china at all.
June 7, 2005 @ 9:34 pm | Comment
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By dylan
In fact, it is difficult to characterize General Xiong Guangkai (who is reported to have made the veiled threat to US cities) as a minor official. He is, of course, the head of 2PLA the military intelligence apparatus. He is also a close chum of JZM.
June 7, 2005 @ 9:35 pm | Comment
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By Conrad
Sounds like an excerpt from John Edwards’ stump speech to me.
June 8, 2005 @ 12:29 am | Comment
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By Skippy-san
China may not be ready to attack us, but they are still a threat to the security of the Asian region. Their desire to subjugate Taiwan, their protection of N. Korea, desires against Japan, their dirty economic pool are all indicators that they are not friends of the US.
Yet, George Bush chose to tie down over 40% of the US military in some useless Arab country while failing to confront China. That does not compute at all.
AND to finance the war in Iraq, we are selling US governemnt bonds to China. Where is the sense in that?
June 8, 2005 @ 5:53 am | Comment
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By Sam
Ha ha, nice comment Conrad. I still miss Gweilo Diaries by the way. However, all good things must come to an end. Hope you’re doing ok.
I’m with skippysan here. All we can hope for is a quick-ish exit from Iraq (can’t see it happening though) so America can give it’s full attention to China and the rest of Asia.
I am not one of those people who subscribe to the China threat but we need America to stay on top of things and not waste billions in the middle east.
June 8, 2005 @ 1:33 pm | Comment
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By Filthy Stinking No.9
Dylan … I didn’t know he’d said that. The report I was referring to was a comment by a colonel (I forget his name). You’re right, that’s quite high level.
Mind you, if the China-watching media is correct, the Hu and his people are a lot less gung-ho on the whole “attack Taiwan” thing than Jiang and his buddies … so the gradual rise of influence of Hu is a good thing for all concerned.
Speaking of which, “gung-ho” is an interesting example of English borrowing from Chinese language.
June 9, 2005 @ 8:39 am | Comment
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By Jonathan
Mao, Stalin, Hitler; Only Mao’s crew are still in power. The butcher’s with the greates body count are still in power. They kill and use their “enemies’ for spare parts, and their enemies don’t even threaten them politically, they are enemies simply because there were a lot of them practising their Tai Chi and meditation – Truth Forbearance Compassion – Nope – No political Aganda there. You don’t needd one for them to be an enemy of the state, just have a large organisation. Also the butcher, torture and repress Monks for chrissakes. These guys are the worst the world has seen. Don’t wait till they get stronger, kill em all NOW, or they will destroy US once they can’t use us anymore.
October 1, 2006 @ 12:40 pm | Comment