China Is America's Military Equal Now Marine General Warns

Thursday, April 30, 2026

Faced with the rapidly growing China threat, the U.S. has to start hardening its bases now, said Marine Lt. Gen. Stephen Sklenka.

Posted by qcp at 07:31 PM | 22 COMMENTS | permalink

SIPRI report shows Russia's military spending rose to $190 billion in 2025, equivalent to 7.5% of GDP Russia ranked third globally, behind the U.S. and China, which spent $954 billion and $336 billion respectively, according to @sipri.org.

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-- The Insider (@theins.press) Apr 28, 2026 at 6:02 AM

Comments

If China fights a war it will involve a place, time, and conditions most advantageous to itself.
Not complicated, but contrast that with Vietnam, MAGAJeebus' Forever War, etc.
Sycophancy could be a weakness militarily, as it is in any authoritarian regime.
The Chinese, however, rarely reward idiocy.

#1 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-04-30 01:12 PM

And China is secretly sending Iran missiles and establishing space tracking stations in South America.

Since 2000, China suffered less than one hundred military casualties-- all from border skirmishes with Indian soldiers in the Himalayans where Beijing tested directed-energy weapons (DEW).

Chinese peacekeepers for the UN are spreading goodwill in the Third World and collecting intelligence while Americans are now treated as pariahs.

Meanwhile, the US lost thousands of soldiers killing Muslims all over the Middle East and SW Asia, costing the US trillions of dollars. The PTSD and caring for returning soldiers further drained our coffers.

Instead of helping Ukraine against Vladimir Putin, we are again wasting a fortune and our ammunition stores in a costly Islamophobic misadventure against Iran for the benefit of wealthy Israel which offers top notch universal healthcare for its residents while we suffer with the BBB.

Will no one rid me of this turbulent ~~priest~~ ally?

#2 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-04-30 01:29 PM

... as Pres Trump moves significant military resources from the Far East to the Persian Gulf, possibly creating a weakness of the US military in the Far East. ...

#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-04-30 07:57 PM

@#3

US military moves Navy, Air Force assets to the Middle East: What to know
www.aljazeera.com

... "And maybe we won't have to use it. ... We have a lot of ships going that direction. Just in case, we have a big flotilla going in that direction, and we'll see what happens," he added.

The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln changed its path from the South China Sea more than a week ago towards the Middle East. Its carrier strike group includes Arleigh Burke-class destroyers equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of striking targets deep inside Iran. ...

#4 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-04-30 08:03 PM

These crazies think we should fight forever. Can we cut out the infinite fighting?

#5 | Posted by Brennnn at 2026-04-30 08:34 PM

@#5 ... Can we cut out the infinite fighting? ...

And then what?

Let the military-enabled autocrats take over the world?

What is your alias' end goal if the fighting is stopped?

#6 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-04-30 08:38 PM

US military morale is understandably fcnked up by the current US regime

#7 | Posted by hamburglar at 2026-04-30 10:31 PM

@#7 ... US military morale is understandably fcnked up by the current US regime ...

I just look at Sec Defense Hegseth's testimony before Congress these past couple of days and I have questions ...

My first question being...

1) Is he as clueless as he appears to be?

I have other questions, but I'll go with that one for now.

#8 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-05-01 12:07 AM

And equally dangerous for America and Americans, China is far more advanced than the US when it comes to sustainable energy and having a unified people. But then, hate and division are the only things the Trump cult have to offer.
We are led by grifting gangsters, and we are wandering in a very dangerous and frightening world, without competent leadership. Personally, I think Trump these days is more and more intentionally a Russian asset.

#9 | Posted by Hughmass at 2026-05-01 08:01 AM

#9,

Yep. The first 6 months or so of the 2nd Trump administration was spent literally giving away America's future to China and others. The soft power tools we used for decades to build good will were shut down or crippled. The brain drain that happened after we cut off funding for scientific research at major universities. The damage to our credibility overseas. The economic hit we, especially our farmers, took when trading partners decided it was cheaper to deal with others after the ridiculous tariffs were enacted. China or Russia couldn't have done it better if they had written a script for Trump to follow.

#10 | Posted by qcp at 2026-05-01 08:50 AM

"And then what?
Let the military-enabled autocrats take over the world?"
Ok, then for all time we need just enough to kill the killers? That sounds dumb too.

#11 | Posted by Brennnn at 2026-05-01 09:42 AM

Chinese peacekeepers for the UN are spreading goodwill in the Third World and collecting intelligence while Americans are now treated as pariahs.

If Trump was a foreign asset sent to destroy the US and its influence from within, I can't think of anything different that he could or should be doing.

#12 | Posted by jpw at 2026-05-01 01:06 PM

Its really not.

It only has 8 operational aerial tankers.

The first 6 months or so of the 2nd Trump administration was spent literally giving away America's future to China and others.

Oh please the US has been stalling its military spending for decades while it fights wars. There's no substitute for experience.

These crazies think we should fight forever. Can we cut out the infinite fighting?

Only if you want to cut out the infinite spending.

This is why you have the reserve currency.....

#13 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-05-01 01:13 PM

#13 ... the US has been stalling its military spending for decades while it fights wars."

That translation program you're using to post? Oil it.

#14 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-05-01 01:30 PM

" the US has been stalling its military spending for decades"

More Moron Math.

Meanwhile, back in the real world:

2025 (Projected/Requested): ~$921 Billion
2024: ~$841.4 Billion
2023: ~$916 Billion (Note: Some data sources reflect finalized, higher obligations)
2022: ~$860.7 Billion
2021: ~$806.2 Billion
2020: ~$778.4 Billion
2019: ~$734.4 Billion
2018: ~$684.9 Billion
2017: ~$646.6 Billion
2016: ~$604.0 Billio

#15 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-05-01 01:39 PM

#15 | Posted by Danforth

Literally EVERYTHING OneIronPedo says is the opposite of the facts.

It's god damn amazing.

It's like he looks it up and then says THE OPPOSITE.

#16 | Posted by Sycophant at 2026-05-01 01:53 PM

" Literally EVERYTHING OneIronPedo says is the opposite of the facts."

Must be the Chinese way.

#17 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-05-01 02:07 PM

Must be the Chinese way.

Don't they read backwards?

#18 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-05-01 02:08 PM

That translation program you're using to post? Oil it.

#14 | POSTED BY DOC_SARVIS

Look at him suddenly pretending China's military is weak.

I think he is drinking the oil.

#19 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-05-02 10:57 AM

Over the past 50 years no country has been better at beating up on weak Third World countries than America. Peer-to-peer conflict with China would be something completely different. Naval power and numbers would quickly be dispatched to the bottom of the Pacific and the only face card America would possess after that scenario would be MAD.

#20 | Posted by NerfHerder at 2026-05-02 04:30 PM

It only has 8 operational aerial tankers.
#13 | Posted by oneironaut

Probably because they have no need.
Taiwan is close enough to not need them. They're not projecting power anywhere else. Their military doctrine doesn't require them.
Getting the Navy within missile range of the Chinese mainland won't go well.
Their subs are getting real good, too.

#21 | Posted by morris at 2026-05-02 07:24 PM

Don't they read backwards?

#18 | Posted by REDIAL

Considering their written language is considerably older than ours, it might be said you have that backwards.

#22 | Posted by morris at 2026-05-02 07:27 PM

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