China's internal troubles (not the Far West)

[AdamG]

Bear with me : this article touched on the fairly large population of disgruntled Chinese veterans (core being the Sino-Viet '79 vets), their efforts at organizing public disobedience and the potentials of them becoming a political force (or loose-cannon, depending on your perspective).

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=128852968

A consequence of China's military modernization program is that some veterans have been left behind, which has led them to protest their condition. Once the backbone of the communist revolution, soldiers are now considered among the groups that should be suppressed.

China has embarked on an ambitious program to streamline its military, cutting manpower and improving technology. But some demobilized soldiers have fallen through the cracks and have taken to the streets to protest lack of jobs, health care and other benefits. It is a seldom-seen aspect of China's military modernization that has the Chinese government worried.

[Internal Courier]

I remember I was once on a train in China when a fellow came down the aisle on his knuckle calling out stuff. My translator told me he was a soldier who lost his legs somehow in service and he was asking for money to support him and his family. I got a brief chance to talk to the guy and it turns out they didn't even pay the guy out a pension, just turfed him out of the army.

So really, no wonder old soldiers there are pissed off.