United States Biden administration policies and actions - megathread

[Zachowon]

Not to mention, as I understand it, the Indian officer corps isn't quite as "political" as the Chinese officer corps. IE, merit counts a bit more to the Indians than party loyalty.

China gets wrecked in a war with India, especially if India can hold the Himalayas. The only way I could see around that is if the Chinese played off long standing Pakistani hatred for India and got them to attack through Kashmir or Gujurat, but I don't think Pakistan and China are best buddies.

Could leverage Iran to leverage pakistan? Best I could think

 

[Terthna]

For all its might, remember that a lot of China's soldiers are underpaid conscripts who probably don't want to be there. And in order for it to flex its superpower muscles, it must first pacify its neck of the woods. It'll have to fight the regional powerhouses of South Korea and Japan (one of whom has the second largest navy in the world), with the not exactly weak Taiwan likely joining in.

Then there's also India, dear god, India. Delhi will not tolerate Beijing's ascendancy. South East Asia is probably getting worried and their power is nothing to sneeze at either.

China is surrounded by people who would spend blood and treasure to stop it rising, and if it came to that, opportunistic Russia will take the opportunity to snuff out what could be a real problem.

And to top it all off, there are various ethnic groups in China who will jump at the chance to breakaway when the PLA is off fighting. China has so very many more problems than the West, which will materialise down the line.

There's also the fact that their equipment is third-rate; because not only do they spend a great deal of their budget on brainwashing their troop into being loyal to the CCP, and not China as a whole, their rampant corruption ensures that corners will be cut at every stage. Take their MREs for example; most of them are apparently so disgusting, as to be completely unpalatable (for those of you in the know, think of the cheese and veggie omelet, or the "vomelet" as it's colloquially known).

I am well aware of how weak they actually are; but if we keep giving them money to throw at the problem, I'm worried more people will die latter down the line as a result.

 

[Zachowon]

There's also the fact that their equipment is third-rate; because not only do they spend a great deal of their budget on brainwashing their troop into being loyal to the CCP, and not China as a whole, their rampant corruption ensures that corners will be cut at every stage. Take their MREs for example; most of them are apparently so disgusting, as to be completely unpalatable (for those of you in the know, think of the cheese and veggie omelet, or the "vomelet" as it's colloquially known).

I am well aware of how weak they actually are; but if we keep giving them money to throw at the problem, I'm worried more people will die latter down the line as a result.

They are not as weak as you all seem to think.
They are a threat for more then just their conventional forces.

Also, MREs arnt supposed to be good.

 

[Lord Sovereign]

There's also the fact that their equipment is third-rate; because not only do they spend a great deal of their budget on brainwashing their troop into being loyal to the CCP, and not China as a whole, their rampant corruption ensures that corners will be cut at every stage. Take their MREs for example; most of them are apparently so disgusting, as to be completely unpalatable (for those of you in the know, think of the cheese and veggie omelet, or the "vomelet" as it's colloquially known).

I am well aware of how weak they actually are; but if we keep giving them money to throw at the problem, I'm worried more people will die latter down the line as a result.

Something for historians to shake their heads over, but at least it's likely the bastards end up losing.

 

[Terthna]

They are not as weak as you all seem to think.
They are a threat for more then just their conventional forces.

Also, MREs arnt supposed to be good.

They're supposed to be at least palatable and nutritious, if not especially tasty (though they can be); whatever your feelings are on our MREs, be glad they're not as bad as China's:


At least an American MRE isn't likely to make you sick afterwards.

 

[Lord Sovereign]

They are a threat for more then just their conventional forces.

Do you means as in subversion? In that case, whilst they may have had some success in the West, they've had no luck in Asia. Primarily because Asia knows these bastards and knows what to expect from them.

That aside, all they can do is human wave tactics which will avail them nothing if India keeps control of the Himalayan passes.

They've got a few hundred warheads as I understand it, but even the Chinese aren't daft enough to push the big red button.

 

[Zachowon]

They're supposed to be at least palatable and nutritious, if not especially tasty (though they can be); whatever your feelings are on our MREs, be glad they're not as bad as China's:


At least an American MRE isn't likely to make you sick afterwards.

Huh. Could always be worse.

Do you means as in subversion? In that case, whilst they may have had some success in the West, they've had no luck in Asia. Primarily because Asia knows these bastards and knows what to expect from them.

That aside, all they can do is human wave tactics which will avail them nothing if India keeps control of the Himalayan passes.

They've got a few hundred warheads as I understand it, but even the Chinese aren't daft enough to push the big red button.

No, more then subversion.

 

[Jormungandr]

Could have been a lab animal that was sold on the exotic meat market by an employee of the lab for a few extra yuans. . .
In fact, that the most likely scenario given all the evidence we have.


Chinese don't use conscription. I mean, they have the laws for it, but there are enough volunteers that they never have to use it.
But with all big armies, they have the problem of their military not being uniform.
Some elite units will be inherently better than others while low grade units will be absolute crap.

It wouldn't surprise me. Again, Chinese competence.

Then again, I have such a low, low opinion of China and Chinese culture (especially their medicine) that I'm pretty much biased.

 

[Terthna]

Could have been a lab animal that was sold on the exotic meat market by an employee of the lab for a few extra yuans. . .
In fact, that the most likely scenario given all the evidence we have.

I'm given to understand that people at the lab would eat the lab animals after they were done testing with them, so it could have also been that.

It wouldn't surprise me. Again, Chinese competence.

Then again, I have such a low, low opinion of China and Chinese culture (especially their medicine) that I'm pretty much biased.

I remember watching a video from the ADVChina guys, where they talked about the state of Chinese healthcare; suffice to say, it sounded like something you'd find in a third world country. Apparently, oftentimes their version of a general practitioner is basically a guy with absolutely zero actual medical training, who's go to treatment for everything is hooking people up to IV drips.

 

[BlackDragon98]

It wouldn't surprise me. Again, Chinese competence.

isn't really a Chinese thing.
China was perfectly fine before communism took over. Just look at Taiwan, making all those microchips and high tech stuff.

Then again, I have such a low, low opinion of China and Chinese culture (especially their medicine) that I'm pretty much biased.

Chinese traditional medicine works (I've taken it and it's worked for me).
The other stuff is pretty awful in quality.

 

[Navarro]

I'm given to understand that people at the lab would eat the lab animals after they were done testing with them, so it could have also been that.

They would also literally let infected bats piss on their faces.

 

[Bear Ribs]

They would also literally let infected bats piss on their faces.

Don't kinkshame.

 

[Cherico]

isn't really a Chinese thing.
China was perfectly fine before communism took over. Just look at Taiwan, making all those microchips and high tech stuff.


Chinese traditional medicine works (I've taken it and it's worked for me).
The other stuff is pretty awful in quality.

Traditionl medicine in china tends to vary a lot with people who are really good being mixed in with the quacks.

 

[BlackDragon98]

Traditionl medicine in china tends to vary a lot with people who are really good being mixed in with the quacks.

True. There are quite a few quacks.
And a select few experts and masters.

 

[LordSunhawk]

In my opinion there's a difference between Traditional Chinese Medicine, and "Traditional Chinese Medicine".

The one is actually historical, has a long basis for the cures and methods, and has at least some evidence for being actually effective.

The other is an excuse to slaughter endangered species for quack 'cures', generally for erectile dysfunction.

 

[Cherico]

In my opinion there's a difference between Traditional Chinese Medicine, and "Traditional Chinese Medicine".

The one is actually historical, has a long basis for the cures and methods, and has at least some evidence for being actually effective.

The other is an excuse to slaughter endangered species for quack 'cures', generally for erectile dysfunction.

that last part is really frustrating because we fixed that with a little blue pill what 20 years ago?

 

[BlackDragon98]

The one is actually historical, has a long basis for the cures and methods, and has at least some evidence for being actually effective.

It tastes awful though. Like, worse than Buckleys.

The other is an excuse to slaughter endangered species for quack 'cures', generally for erectile dysfunction.

Complete quacks taking advantage of people's ignorance (traditional Chinese med is really, really complicated and most people are easily misled by quacks).

 

[Captain X]

Does your dad live under a rock?

It was obvious who was more friendly to china from the beginning...

This is like voting for joe because you want to lower taxes and shrink the welfare state lol

Both he and my mother actually believe the propaganda that the mainstream media has been putting out. Mom actually got those hit-piece books trashing Trump and has tried using them in debates with me, which usually just results in us getting pissed off at each other, which is super awkward considering we're also in the process of how to deal with their estate after they go thanks to how things didn't go so well when their own parents went.

ETA: Am I the only one who actually likes some of the MREs? I actually genuinely like the Chili Mac and Cheese Tortellini, for example. Also those bread cracker things with either peanut butter or the cheese spread.

 

[Zachowon]

Both he and my mother actually believe the propaganda that the mainstream media has been putting out. Mom actually got those hit-piece books trashing Trump and has tried using them in debates with me, which usually just results in us getting pissed off at each other, which is super awkward considering we're also in the process of how to deal with their estate after they go thanks to how things didn't go so well when their own parents went.

ETA: Am I the only one who actually likes some of the MREs? I actually genuinely like the Chili Mac and Cheese Tortellini, for example. Also those bread cracker things with either peanut butter or the cheese spread.

I am in the Army and I love MREs

 

[LordsFire]

According to what I recall, there has been an absolutely enormous increase in quality for MREs over the last three decades. When they were first put into use, it was bare-bones 'food that will be high-calorie and last in storage for a long time.' As time went on though, general staff started to remember that an army travels on its stomach, and an entire industry for commercial frozen, preserved, and pre-prepared foods exploded into prominence for the military to piggy-back off of.

Thus, where the best of MREs used to be 'marginally okay,' now the average MRE is 'decent to tasty,' and only the worst are as bad as the best used to be.

I wonder if it's something the Biden administration will decide to cut, as part of whatever military budget cut they come up with.