Commentary
Having conducted over 2,000 aerial incursions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) since August 2000 and two simulated air-sea strikes on Taiwan and now Japan this year, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has clearly signaled his aggressive intentions. It is time to take his threats seriously and prepare accordingly.
The key is to make an honest assessment of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) capabilities against that of its likely future victims. Those who believe the PLA is not ready for modern warfare ignore three points: the PLA will be fighting closer to home; the PLA has the capacity to inflict heavy losses; America’s technological edge has eroded, if not disappeared….