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Stopping war with China

The following youtube video by the U.S. military documents the training exercises of the US and Philippines militaries in preparation for war with China, regarding contested islands claimed by both China and Philippines.

The film has rousing martial music, with beating drums. It shows military equipment and soldiers landing on islands — reminiscent of D-Day on Normandy Beach.

This more recent film documents ASEAN exercises in the South China Sea:

The films, and especially the military exercises, must have been massively expensive to produce. At the least, the films are in bad taste. At worst, they promote violence. (A peace activist with World Beyond War reported the videos to Youtube, saying that they violate community standards about promoting violence.) They do seem to be suggesting the U.S. is readying for war. They bluster and they demonize China.

Likewise, Rep Adam Smith, Chair House Armed Services Committee, reveals $3.6B plan to counter China.

This preparation for war might get an awful lot of people killed. And the military buildup will end up costing the U.S. trillions, despite other needs and massive debt.

Meanwhile, racism against Asian Americans is on the upswing. Coronavirus: What attacks on Asians reveal about American identity

Kellyanne Conway Defends Trump’s Use of “Kung Flu,” Weeks After Calling the Term “Highly Offensive”.

Risk of military conflict between US and China higher than ever, experts say “Tensions rose after near-collision between American and Chinese destroyers, according to president of National Institute for South China Sea Studies. Existing communication mechanisms might not be sufficient to keep every encounter under control, Nanjing University professor says.”

America vs. China: “A Clash of Civilizations”

Hillary Clinton famously said, “’I don’t want my grandchildren to live in a world dominated by the Chinese.”

During his tenure, President Obama launched his “Pivot to Asia,” moving 60% of US naval power to bases surrounding China, developing the Trans Pacific Partnership treaty specifically to economically isolate China, making Air-Sea Battle the official US doctrine explicitly to contain China militarily, and announcing boldly that his aim was to contain China’s economic rise.

Not surprisingly, China reacted with alarm.

The U.S. “empire” is overextended, with 800 military bases in 70+ countries.

Can we beat China on its own doorstep? If so, we’ll bankrupt us and kill a lot of people.

Don’t you sometimes think Congress and the Pentagon are insane? (We already know the Trump administration is insane.)

This article critiques U.S. policy towards China from a leftist point of view: What’s behind the new cold war between Washington and Beijing?.

I hope everyone contacts their member of Congress — especially Rep. Adam Smith, Chair of the House Armed Services Committee — to express opposition to the war-mongering against China.  The large Chinese-American communities near Seattle should be particularly concerned about this issue.

(Added 2020-07-09:   A New Tonkin Gulf Incident in the Making?  “Halt Trump’s rush to war in the Pacific.”)

(Added 2020-07-13: Congress Wants More Unnecessary Anti-China Weapons Programs in Annual Defense Bill, on the Senate Armed Services Committee’s proposed increase of an additional $43 billion in the NDAA for preparing for war with China.)

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