Rand Corp.: China Could Defeat U.S.

[Ryan Ruck]

Rand Corp.: China Could Defeat U.S.

Researchers with the Rand Corporation in California say China could potentially best the United States in a military conflict over Taiwan.

The global policy think tank said in a report Thursday that China could use "antiaccess" strategies to limit the ability of U.S. forces to deploy into combat zones and find locations to base operations. The scenarios examined by the researchers involved Chinese efforts to keep U.S. military operations at a distance from the conflict.

"The most likely conflict between the United States and China would be over Taiwan," said lead study author Roger Cliff. "Although the United States currently has an overwhelming conventional military advantage, China could accomplish the objective of forcing Taiwan to surrender by employing an antiaccess strategy of preventing enough U.S. forces from getting to the region in time."

The researchers suggested a number of measures the U.S. military could take to counteract the Chinese strategy. The report said U.S. forces should deploy air and missile defense systems near important locations, move ships out of port at times when conflict seems likely and reduce vulnerabilities in communications and computer systems.

Link to PDF version: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2007/RAND_MG524.pdf

I've started reading the 100+ page Rand report. So far, it is fairly interesting. I'd highly recommend downloading it and reading it.

[American Patriot]

Well, you know that Rand corporation, Ryan, it's a capitalist place and all that and of course it's run by the government so they are just trying to be war mongers and all that.

/chuckles