Quote Originally Posted by carl
After Suez, Britain faded away militarily. If Red China took Taiwan, I think John Lehman or his ghost would finally see a 600 ship US Navy.
That may be true, but given the gross inefficiencies in America's defense economy, what would be the cost? The war on terrorism, frequently diminished as a "small" war, has itself drained much of the wealth and energy of America in general and the military establishment in particular. I very much doubt America's ability to effectively to defend its interests abroad against an aggressive great power, specifically China, with defined national interests and an ostensibly coordinated whole-of-government approach to foreign policy. When does the downward trend stop, and what measures are necessary for its reversal?

Quote Originally Posted by Bob
Control is hard to relinquish, but at a certain point many issues long managed through control are better managed by a transition to influence. The more we focus on the former, the less we possess of the latter. Better to transition on ones own terms, and not cling so long as to have transition forced upon you.
You and I agree on this point.