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
Iranian media: Iran summons German ambassador to protest German Chancellor's 'offensive remarks"
Iranian media: Iran summons Swiss envoy in Tehran, as representative of US interests, to protest Trump's 'provocative remarks'
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The UN Secretary-General called for a cessation of fighting as a prelude to a ceasefire
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Iran has requested an urgent and emergency meeting of the UN Security Council
France plans European 'initiative' to end Iran-'Israel' conflict: presidency
IRGC: The skies over the occupied territories are open to Iranian missiles and drones
IRGC to settlers: You have to choose between "a slow death" in a hellish life inside shelters or fleeing from 'Israel'
Israeli media outlet quoting a security source: The Iranian missile launched this time at Gush Dan is unusual in its type, weight, and explosives capacity
Iran's IRGC: In the 12th wave, long-range super-heavy Sejjil missiles were launched
Iran's IRGC: At the beginning of the 12th two-layered wave of Operation True Promise 3, heavy, long-range missiles were deployed

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

US lawmakers push back on deeper military role in Israeli war on Iran

Trump’s Iran dilemma: Strategy or uncertainty?

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

Iranian missiles impact Israeli sites in Tel Aviv in 2nd wave

Iran's missiles impact 'strategic' Israeli site in Tel Aviv

  • Politics
  • 14 Jun 2025
Bin Salman: Islamic world backs Iran in call to Pezeshkian

MBS says Islamic world backs Iran in call with Pezeshkian

  • MENA
  • 15 Jun 2025
Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Smoke rises after an Iranian ballistic missile directly struck Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine, June 13, 2025 (AP)

Op. True Promise 3: Iran's ballistic missiles strike Tel Aviv

  • MENA
  • 13 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A Turkish Air Force pilot gestures from the cockpit of an F-16 military fighter jet before an Air Policing exercise at the Baza 86 military air base, outside Fetesti, Romania, Wednesday, March 6, 2024 (AP)
Politics

Israeli aircraft violate Turkish airspace, fighter jets scrambled

An Israeli occupation forces armored personnel carrier maneuvers in the Gaza Strip, southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, June 11, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Palestinian Resistance downs Israeli drone in Gaza amid extensive ops

An Israeli Hermes 450 UAV drone flies over Beirut, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Politics

Iran reports shooting down 28 types of hostile aircraft in 24 hours

Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze after a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran retaliatory strikes target greater Tel Aviv as injuries reported

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