Cameron: China - a potential military threat to UK

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  1. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by bookblogger:
    A common theme of yours, but the UK still has the world's 5th largest economy.
    whoopteedoo... Everyone is always rooting for number 5. I thought it was number 6 actually...

    US
    Japan
    China
    Germany
    France
    UK

    The thing is that the UK was once an empire that rivaled anyone and number 5 or 6 is a long long way down from that. Now it's only moving in the shadow of the US and there's no indication that it will ever be back in the forefront. As a matter of fact, it will probably have a hard time cracking the top 10 by 2050.
    Last edited by gilleshk; 18-04-2010 at 09:16 PM.

  2. #12

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    Rome was once an 'empire' but it morphed into the Holy Roman Catholic Blah so stop being so narrow-minded to think of influence and power as something defined by a national boundary.
    You are being so mid-20th Century Gilles...fancy building a new battleship and a four engined bomber?


  3. #13

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    Of course China is a threat - any power that could choose to draw influence through its military, or it's military interference is a threat. In a political debate or discussion then an illustration that the listeners can relate to is necessary. If he started talking about the socio-economic threats posed by a resurgent Gremlin Tribe in Allbranistan then people wouldn't have chuffin ' clue what he was on about.


  4. #14

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    The UK may not be one of the biggest economies in the world, but what about per capita? It has a relatively small population. Plus what about the importance of global cities? London is certainly right up there in the top few.


  5. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Load Toad:
    Of course China is a threat - any power that could choose to draw influence through its military, or it's military interference is a threat. In a political debate or discussion then an illustration that the listeners can relate to is necessary. If he started talking about the socio-economic threats posed by a resurgent Gremlin Tribe in Allbranistan then people wouldn't have chuffin ' clue what he was on about.
    Preposterous! The problem with thinking like this (and world leaders do some of this too) is that you end up pursuing wrong headed policies like how scary Iraq and is how only an attack and take over is going to be the way to contain them.

    The world is full of similar shallow thinking like the USA when it viewed Vietnam from the domino theory perspective and how if Vietnam went communist the whole region would. It proved kind of stupid but look at how they tore the USA apart.

    China of all the major countries with any potential for war is the least of those any country need fear. If you look at the priorities their government has set for their country meddling and starting wars (unlike the UK and USA) is far down their priority list. China has priorities for building their economy and social stability with some 1 billion people - not much room for war.

    If you look at how the PRC have locked up resource deals and conduct trade their influence in many parts of the world is not via arms but trade and investment. If you look at wars there has not been a war between the real "have" nations since WW 2 and this is unlikely to change.
    Last edited by Football16; 18-04-2010 at 10:35 PM.

  6. #16

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    Sure the London and NY stock market are probably the most important in the world but it doesn't necessarily translate in political influence. The fact of the matter is that Britain now has little influence in world politics and is seen mostly as a US follower and it's only going to go down which is why some are grasping at the nuclear toys to create the illusion that it's still dominant.

    I would have expected one of you to at least point out that the UK has one of only 5 permanent seat at the UN security council thanks to its legacy as a former world power but the again France also has one so...

    Does anyone here that doesn't think that the game is really between two players? China and the US with a good dose of Russia, sprinkle of Japan and a dash of Germany, France and the UK.

    I'll stop thinking about national boundary when they don't matter. The UK can't even let go of their Pounds(yet another example of misplaced pride) to join the rest of Europe. There may be economic alliances happening and money flows more freely against the globe but countries and even ethnicities are still pretty very protective of their history and heritage and it isn't about to change.


  7. #17

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    China is a huge threat both militarily and economically. They hold a great amount of US bonds and need tons of resources to fuel their growth. There are only finite resources in the world and many countries competing for them. China is currently all over Africa making friends and building roads and factories in places like Sudan and Ethiopia for example. They are positioning themselves well to take advantage of resources in those countries and making friends while the US seems to be more adept at making enemies.

    These two countries will be at odds for a long long time yet they are also tied because so much of the world manufacturing is currently done in China...


  8. #18

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    Computer glitch


  9. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Football16:
    If you look at wars there has not been a war between the real "have" nations since WW 2 and this is unlikely to change.
    They figured it was much better to supply arms in third party countries and let them kill each other instead.

    Let's be real, they haven't been at war officially but anytime there's an opportunity, you can bet that each side is backed by someone that hopes to benefit from that relationship in the end...

  10. #20

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    So being in the Euro right now would have been a good move for the UK?!