Gates is there to urge the Chinese to come visit our bases and conduct exercises with out forces. One of the foundations of deterrence from the American perspective is personal visits, especially opportunities for foreign military leaders, general and senior officers, to see the US military up close and personal. From the American perspective, we want foreign adversaries or potential adversaries to see our people at work, doing their day to day job. For most adversaries, that is sufficient deterrence. It isn't that the US service person is particularly fearsome or aggressive, rather it is the normal day to day professionalism and initiative, the responsibility we thrust on junior officers and particularly the leadership demonstrated by our mid level enlisted troops in every branch that are our greatest strengths.
Most foreign militaries, particularly those of less developed nations who tend to be our adversaries (and the USSR was just a third world county with a big army and lots of nukes) do not have motivated career mid grade enlisted troops who do not need to be told what to do. When you have the opportunity to meet an officer like Victor Belenko as I have you find out that they are simply stunned to see the level of professionalism that is normal among our own enlisted people. They do not have similarly motivated leaders among their enlisted forces. Most of our adversaries have a very hard time keeping anyone past their mandatory enlistment period. The Soviets had over a 90% turnover rate after two years of service. Their troops could do nothing unless an officer directed them and supervised them closely. When I was an officer in the Navy, I trusted my first class to get things done without being told. He was rewarded for his effort with public praise, a water-walker annual evaluation, a recommendation for a Navy Achievement Award or "NAM" and the personal satisfaction he derived from a job well done. All my troops knew their jobs and did them without my micromanaging them constantly. They all knew what needed to be done and did it. That is rare among militaries, common only to NATO militaries and a few others outside NATO such as Japan, Australia and New Zealand and Singapore (tough hombres the Singaporans).
It is a powerful thing to see this if your own forces lack a similar level of professionalism among the enlisted troops. That is what we want, send those foreign generals home wondering how they could ever stand up to our people knowing that even some lowly E-4 or E-5 will take the initiative and lead if the chips are down and the officers killed.
Gates is there to urge the Chinese to come visit our bases and conduct exercises with out forces. One of the foundations of deterrence from the American perspective is personal visits, especially opportunities for foreign military leaders, general and senior officers, to see the US military up close and personal. From the American perspective, we want foreign adversaries or potential adversaries to see our people at work, doing their day to day job. For most adversaries, that is sufficient deterrence. It isn't that the US service person is particularly fearsome or aggressive, rather it is the normal day to day professionalism and initiative, the responsibility we thrust on junior officers and particularly the leadership demonstrated by our mid level enlisted troops in every branch that are our greatest strengths.
Most foreign militaries, particularly those of less developed nations who tend to be our adversaries (and the USSR was just a third world county with a big army and lots of nukes) do not have motivated career mid grade enlisted troops who do not need to be told what to do. When you have the opportunity to meet an officer like Victor Belenko as I have you find out that they are simply stunned to see the level of professionalism that is normal among our own enlisted people. They do not have similarly motivated leaders among their enlisted forces. Most of our adversaries have a very hard time keeping anyone past their mandatory enlistment period. The Soviets had over a 90% turnover rate after two years of service. Their troops could do nothing unless an officer directed them and supervised them closely. When I was an officer in the Navy, I trusted my first class to get things done without being told. He was rewarded for his effort with public praise, a water-walker annual evaluation, a recommendation for a Navy Achievement Award or "NAM" and the personal satisfaction he derived from a job well done. All my troops knew their jobs and did them without my micromanaging them constantly. They all knew what needed to be done and did it. That is rare among militaries, common only to NATO militaries and a few others outside NATO such as Japan, Australia and New Zealand and Singapore (tough hombres the Singaporans).
It is a powerful thing to see this if your own forces lack a similar level of professionalism among the enlisted troops. That is what we want, send those foreign generals home wondering how they could ever stand up to our people knowing that even some lowly E-4 or E-5 will take the initiative and lead if the chips are down and the officers killed.
I would say the same for Chinese military too. They are very loyal, have huge pride for their country, brave, well trained and has good conducts. The only thing lacking is real war combat experience.
If western accounts are to be believed, Hu was not aware of the first flight. Gates asked him about it after our people informed him of the flight. Hu and the other Chinese officials seemed surprised, and later on confirmed the flight had taken place.
Another instance of the central government and the CCP not fully in control of the PLA? That is the wag right now.
Flame away if you must. I wasn't there, I only read the paper every day.
Robert Gates actually had to go on the record and correct the notion that civilian government did not have full control over the PLA.If western accounts are to be believed, Hu was not aware of the first flight. Gates asked him about it after our people informed him of the flight. Hu and the other Chinese officials seemed surprised, and later on confirmed the flight had taken place.
Another instance of the central government and the CCP not fully in control of the PLA? That is the wag right now.
Flame away if you must. I wasn't there, I only read the paper every day.