Question: Why is China building up its military?
Answer: Because it can afford to. it's also preparing in the event of a Western military intervention with its neighbors in Burma and North Korea. Just because they arent the target doesnt mean they wont be affected.
No nation can be a world power without building its military might, and China is on its way in becoming the most powerful nation on Earth.
It is true that compared to other periods in our nations history that the US is spending less as a pertentage of its GDP on its military budget but its also true that the US has also changed the physical aim and construction of its military in the past 60 years since WWII.
Our department of defense, not to mention the various departments in place to protect the US have resigned to the fact that newer technology will not be the cure all to its current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As Gen David Petraeus stated before congress there is no military solution to the problems in Iraq.
On the domestric front, the Military will need to employ a sleeker PR methood in order to sign up and retain people into the military besides offering them a 20,000.00 bonus.
These are some of the challenges our military will ultimately have to resolve in the new century as it competes against China's military with its unlimited manpower. Most of the military buildup I think is the country's accepting its status as possibly THE world power, not necessarily for its military might but its growing economy and financial sector.
- Preston