Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.
Qatari PM: We must not surrender to the arrogance of extremists and pursue our quest for a 'two-state solution'
Qatari PM: The only path to peace begins through negotiations and a ceasefire

US is not yet ready for the ‘Great Power’ conflict era: WSJ

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Wall Street Journal
  • 7 Mar 2023 14:36
5 Min Read

As the US squeezes itself into Asia, the Chinese opposition against US intervention remains real and present.

  • x
  • Demonstrators burn a mock U.S. flag as they protest against the visit of U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin outside Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in metro Manila, Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. (AP)
    Demonstrators burn a mock US flag as they protest against the visit of U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin outside Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in metro Manila, Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. (AP)

A report published by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Tuesday reveals that a US Air Force officer learned that China's missile force "rained down on the bases and ports the US relied on in the region," adding that American combat aircraft and munitions would turn into smoldering ruins in days.

“My response was, ‘Holy crap. We are going to lose if we fight like this,’” he recalled.

Lt. Gen. Hinote expressed his nervousness and urgency to come up with the necessary solutions in case of a "Chinese attack." WSJ mentions that the lieutenant general posted yellow sticky notes on the walls of his closet at the Pentagon, listing different solutions. 

“I did not have an idea how to resolve them,” said Hinote. “I was struck how quickly China had advanced, and how our long-held doctrines about warfare were becoming obsolete.”

A new combat era

Half a decade ago, the US was introduced into a new era of great-power competition with Russia and China, which it isn't prepared for due to the multiple obstacles still in the way, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

Read next: Deploying more US troops to Taiwan too risky: Report

Why isn't the US prepared? Despite its large annual defense budget, which reached more than $800 billion, the US intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan, big-ticket weapons that didn't "pan out", and internal conflicts over budgets and disagreements around the "threat from Beijing," all set back the military performance and development. 

Corporate consolidation in the American defense industry has resulted in fewer arms manufacturers for the Pentagon. Shipyards are struggling to build the submarines the Navy says it needs to compete with China's larger naval fleet, while weapon designers are racing to catch up with China and Russia in developing superfast hypersonic missiles.

Related News

China warns Philippines against provocations in South China Sea

Mamdani vows to arrest Netanyahu if elected New York mayor

How is the US military failing? 

When the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington ran a wargame last year simulating a Chinese response to the US intervention in Taiwan, the US side ran out of long-range anti-ship cruise missiles within a week.

It is worth noting that the military is struggling to meet the desired recruitment goals, which is delaying US plans to position more forces within a critical range of China, according to WSJ. 

Read next: Russia, China to keep raising awareness of NATO danger in Asia-Pacific

That said, a conflict with China wouldn't be like the US' past wars, it would be fighting with its Asian bases under attack and would be in need of a large and long-term supply of supply routes, the report added. 

A mounting US-Sino threat

In recent years, Beijing developed its security by shifting its security terrain around China. For example, in the South China Sea, it built artificial islands and allegedly fortified them with military installations, according to WSJ, to claim control over the area and deny the US Navy freedom in the area. 

Read next: China drives away US guided-missile cruiser: Military

China boosted its military spending by 7% and improved its air force, missiles and submarines, along with more advanced training. According to the Pentagon, China's weapon developments and other capabilities are used to destroy opponents' satellites and threaten infrastructure, as reported by WSJ. 

US expansion in Asia

In its efforts to meet the new challenge, the Pentagon has expanded its access to bases in the Philippines and Japan while shrinking the US military footprint in the Middle East. New tactics have been devised to disperse US forces and make them less of an inviting target for China’s increasingly powerful missiles.

Read next: Chinese FM: US should 'hit brakes' to avoid 'inevitable' conflict

The US Defense Ministry increased the annual budget to $14 billion and the military is developing technology to be able to share data with US air, land, sea and space forces. This comes while the Pentagon reveals that the changes won't be ready until the 2030s, which it claims could motivate China to "attack" before the US military bears fruit, according to WSJ. 

According to the report, a conflict in the Western Pacific could also motivate Russia's military to carry out President Vladimir Putin's alleged goals of reviving Russian power in what it considers to be its "traditional sphere of influence in Central and Eastern Europe."

"This is a massive problem to dig out of," said Eric Wesley, a retired Army lieutenant general who was the deputy commanding general of the Army Futures Command, which oversees the transformation of the service.“We are in a vulnerable period where we are pursuing this deterrence capability and their time is running out.”

  • United States
  • Russia
  • South China Sea
  • China

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Damage sustained after a Yemeni drone exploded in Ramon Airport, southern occupied Palestine, Sunday, September 7, 2025 (Social Media)

Yemeni drone successfully hits Ramon Airport in southern Palestine

  • Politics
  • 7 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Palestinians run for cover during an Israeli military strike on a building in Gaza City, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Yousef Al Zanoun)
Politics

Israeli bombs kill 45 in Gaza as schools, homes targeted

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization
Palestine

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

Hamas: Over one million in Gaza face ethnic cleansing
Palestine

Over one million in Gaza face ethnic cleansing: Palestinian Resistance

Head of the National Security Committee in Iran’s Parliament, MP Ebrahim Azizi. (Tasnim News Agency)
Politics

Iran parliament security chief: NPT exit on table if snapback invoked

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS