Seeds of a new world war?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20051026/ts_csm/oalliance_1
Russia, China looking to form 'NATO of the East'?

I had assumed that with China's buildup in its millitary it was planning on invading Russia in

order to exploit the mineral resources in the region.

This could either be a ploy to gain Russia's trust to make aformentioned conflict more of a

surprise, or it could mean that in five, ten years down the line we could see a new Soviet

Union and a stronger, more hardline PRC emerge rapidly, plunging the world into a new Cold

War, probably leading to a third World War, of West against East. In either way, if this

alliance happens, it won't mean good things for the United States or the EU.

Now I never like to see anyone goto war, espeically for resources. However this is a war I would buy the pay per view special on ... While yes of course China has the numbers, Russia has got alot of things going for it. Weather conditions (ask the Germans), rabid defense of thier home turf (again ask the Germans) ... I personally think China would get its butt kicked ... Just my 2 cents.

However I don't see a China & Russia team up, or as the basis for a new "NATO". As time goes on Russia becomes more and more "Western-ized" while China fights it tooth and nail. In 10 years time, I think Russia will be sugnificantly more "western" and not interested in any kind of "NATO" agreement with China.

Brendan

no, China and Russia have teamed up , and would appear to be a strategic check and balance on the "good ole" USofA

they held joint exercises this summer, and excluded the US from observing

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050817-122515-2218r.htm

(above link is sorta slow but has better info and a nifty pic of Putin in a "flight suit" thing, below is if you need proof quickly)

short link

with Russia having great technology and hardware, but lacking the infrastructure to maintain them, and China full of worker bees, this could be the pair to watch out for and a contender to the champions of the world (currently held by the United "Neo Con Kid" States)

and I am not even mentioning how badly the US is outnumbered...

Except for Khazakstan. Its all about Khazakstan. I think China and Russia are heading toward a conflict, despite the posturing and joint excercises. Khazakstan has huge untapped resources, and is sharply divided along ethnic lines. There is a high potential for civil war, and Russia and China could become very polarized in that circumstance.

My sense is these two countries are trying to force the US out of the region so they can sort out how to carve it up. The great game has been played in central and sounthwest asia since the 19th century. This is just another chapter.

Wa wa wee wa.

I dunno man, while that may be true, it would be like showing your hand in poker to the last person at the table. Tactics, equipment, troop strengths, weaknesses are pretty much put on display in a War Games scenerio. Future enemies wouldn't show thier cards, unless of course, they were obscuring the important cards.

In your scenerio, the Taiwan situation with China and the U.S. would be merely a distraction. I don't see it that way, but who knows, posturing has always been part of keeping strength.

Either way, this mismatched tag team, thankfully, obliterates pretty much every premise in http://www.newamericancentury.org/RebuildingAmericasDefenses.pdf . War on two fronts was rushed to assert the US role as lone superpower, and China and Russia responded with a big veto.

No major top 20 country will ever directly invade any other top 20 country.

If a war ever happens, it will always be via a proxy, like Taiwan or Iraq or whatever.