Is China getting ready to target the US militarily?

In a report that was due for release last March, but has just been put out this week, it has become clear China is building up their military far beyond simple defense needs. The intent of this move is to deny the U.S. access to the Western Pacific and destroy American forces that try.

The 2010 report, curiously renamed the "Annual Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China," speaks of China's program to deny U.S. forces access to regions it considers critical to its security.

"China is fielding an array of conventionally armed ballistic missiles, ground- and air-launched cruise missiles, special operations forces and cyberwarfare capabilities to hold targets at risk throughout the region," the report says. These targets would be American bases and carrier battle groups that might be sent to aid Taiwan.

The 74-page Pentagon report also notes that China is "pursuing a variety of air, sea, undersea, space and counterspace" weapons designed specifically to attack U.S. forces. Primary among them is the Dong Feng 21D carrier-killer ballistic missile that can hit moving and heavily defended American carriers with pinpoint accuracy at distances between 900 and 1,000 miles from China's coasts.

Lest we forget China owns a considerable portion of our debt and we are winding down nearly every aspect of our own defense systems-this is a recipe for disaster if these aggressive moves are left unchecked. While we pass the reins of security from Robert Gates to someone new we must ask ourselves if any of the candidates are going to have the smarts and muscle to defend us and our children from the encroaching threats to this country. With Iran acquiring nuclear capabilities and alQaeda still a very aggressive adversary, we must be ready to defend our country against enemies, old and new.