via Proceedings
What should be deprioritized, then, is almost everything else (save the nuclear deterrent). This includes naval operations and posture in theaters other than Asia, including Europe and the Middle East, as well as capacity and presence for its own sake rather than warfighting efficacy. The basic point is that U.S. naval forces should prepare to mount an effective and politically credible denial defense of Taiwan, along with the nuclear deterrent needed to back it up. Everything else should be scaled down, pushed to the back, and, if need be, eliminated. This includes symbolic or assurance-oriented presence operations not connected to a robust blunt layer, as former Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work has compellingly argued.8
The reason for all this stems from a simple proposition: The main purpose of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps is to fight and win the nation’s most important wars at a reasonable cost to the American people—not policing the sea lanes, showing the flag, or “facilitating—or deranging international trade.”9 By far the most significant threat to Americans’ prosperity, freedom, and security is China dominating Asia and from that position, the global economy. The Navy and the Marine Corps ought to be clear that their overriding responsibility lies in preventing this baleful outcome through a denial defense along the first island chain, and all other missions unconnected to this goal must take a back seat to that.
The Sea Services must now be laser focused on this core task to make the best use of the enormous resources the American people allocate to defense, as the Marine Corps is so commendably doing. Americans already spend a far greater proportion of their wealth on defense than almost any of their allies. It is therefore incumbent on the defense establishment to make the best use of that money as possible.
Here
FUCK ME!
THEY'RE FINALLY COMING OUT AND SAYING IT! THE "NEW" MARINE CORPS IS BEIGN BUILT FOR ONE FOE, ONE THEATER!
Simply amazing.
So why did they lie earlier? Are they that wrapped up in this concept that they will lie to fellow Flag Officers, the Officers and Marines they lead, the retirees and veterans that have a stake in the Marine Corps future?
Oh and they're still wrong.
China will find, fix and destroy every part of the Stand In Force at the very start of hostilities.
The US will busy rescuing survivors on a whole host of islands (not to mention the ships they take out at sea...probably the largest rescue mission in the history of military operations...Dunkirk will look like a picnic), its national command will be deciding what to do, and Chinese Marines will be conducting an amphibious assault on Taiwan.
By the time we get our shit together the Chinese will do a Red version of Mt Suribachi and the Chinese Flag will fly over that island (it'll probably be the size of a building).
