Political Quotes

“Mr. President, on February 23, 2011, the RAND Corporation released a report funded by and prepared for the U.S. Air Force entitled, ``Shaking the Heavens and Splitting the Earth.'' This report provides a comprehensive review of the capabilities of the Chinese Air Force, and it is alarming. In less than a decade, China has transformed its air force from an antiquated service based on 1950s-era Soviet technology into a modern, highly capable 21st century air force. RAND predicts that, by approximately 2015, the weapon systems and platforms China is acquiring ``would make a Chinese air defense campaign, if conducted according to the principles described in Chinese military publications, highly challenging for U.S. air forces.'' Without question, China's military expansion poses a clear and present danger to our longstanding ally, Taiwan--a threat that also has very serious implications for the United States. In its report, RAND predicts that, should the United States have to intervene in a conflict between Taiwan and China, the United States ``should expect attacks on its forces and facilities in the western Pacific, including those in Japan. . . . Chinese military writings, moreover, emphasize the advantages of preemptive and surprise attacks, so it is possible that Chinese attacks on U.S.…”