CC™ VideoSpective
Friday
China’s Military Has Surpassed the U.S. in Ships, Missiles and Air Defense, Department of Defense report finds......
China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has already surpassed the U.S. in missile development and its number of warships and air defense systems under the Chinese Communist Party’s plan to achieve dominance by 2049, the Defense Department said in a sobering report.
The ultimate goal of the People’s Republic of China, or PRC, is to “develop a military by mid-Century that is equal to — or in some cases superior to — the U.S. military, or that of any other great power that the PRC views as a threat,” the DoD’s annual report to Congress said.
To that end, the PRC has “marshalled the resources, technology, and political will over the past two decades to strengthen and modernize the PLA in nearly every respect,” the report said.
Under the national strategy pressed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the result has been that “China is already ahead of the United States in certain areas” essential to its overall aim of progressing from homeland and periphery defense to global power projection, the report said.
“The PRC has the largest navy in the world, with an overall battle force of approximately 350 ships and submarines, including over 130 major surface combatants,” the report said.
That’s compared to the U.S. Navy’s current battle force of 295 ships.
In addition, “the PRC has more than 1,250 ground-launched ballistic missiles (GLBMs) and ground-launched cruise missiles (GLCMs) with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers,” while the U.S. currently fields one type of conventional GLBM with a range of 70 to 300 kilometers and no GLCMs, the report said.
In some respects, China is also ahead on integrated air defense systems with a mix of Russian-built and homegrown systems, the report said.
“The PRC has one of the world’s largest forces of advanced long-range surface-to-air systems” — including Russian-built S-400, S-300, and domestically-produced anti-air systems — making up “part of its robust and redundant integrated air defense system,” the report said.
Despite the advances, the PLA “remains in a position of inferiority” to the U.S. in overall military strength, said Chad Sbragia, the deputy assistant secretary of Defense for China.
The 173-page DoD report “does not claim that China’s military is 10 feet tall,” but the Chinese Communist Party wants it to be, and has the plan and resources to reach that goal, Sbragia, a retired Marine officer, said at an American Enterprise Institute forum on China’s military.
At an earlier Pentagon briefing on the report, Sbragia said Beijing’s military strategy was driven by the view that the U.S. has decided upon a long period of confrontation to counter the global spread of China’s influence.
He said that China “increasingly views the United States as more willing to confront Beijing on matters where the U.S. and PRC interests are inimical.”
“The CCP leaders view the United States’ security alliances and partnerships — especially those in the Indo-Pacific region — as destabilizing and irreconcilable with China’s interests,” Sbragia said.
The DoD report, titled “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China” comes on the heels of China's increasing political and military influence in the world and the South China sea respectively.
The 23rd annual report on China by DoD noted the “staggering” improvements in China’s ability to build, coordinate and project power since the first report was issued.
“DoD’s first annual report to Congress in 2000 assessed the PRC’s armed forces at that time to be a sizable but mostly archaic military that was poorly suited to the CCP’s long-term ambitions,” the report said.
In 2000, “the PLA lacked the capabilities, organization, and readiness for modern warfare,” the report said. But the CCP, it added, recognized the shortcomings and set about with determination to “strengthen and transform its armed forces in a manner commensurate with its aspirations to strengthen and transform China.”
“More striking than the PLA’s staggering amounts of new military hardware are the recent sweeping efforts taken by CCP leaders that include completely restructuring the PLA into a force better suited for joint operations” and for “expanding the PRC’s overseas military footprint.”
The PLA has already established its first overseas military base in Djibouti, about a mile from U.S. Africa Command’s main base on the Horn of Africa.
In its commentary on the DoD assessment, the American Enterprise Institute noted that the report also stressed that “The PRC has likely considered locations for PLA military logistics facilities in Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Seychelles, Tanzania, Angola, and Tajikistan.”
Despite the progress made by China’s military over the past two decades, “major gaps and shortcomings remain” in readiness and operational capability, the report said, but China’s leaders are acutely aware of the problems and have detailed plans to overcome them.
“Of course, the CCP does not intend for the PLA to be merely a showpiece of China’s modernity or to keep it focused solely on regional threats,” the report said.
“As this report shows, the CCP desires the PLA to become a practical instrument of its statecraft with an active role in advancing the PRC’s foreign policy, particularly with respect to the PRC’s increasingly global interests and its aims to revise aspects of the international order,” it added.
-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Thursday
Wednesday
They Lied About The Pharaohs - The Africanity (Blackness) Of Ancient Egypt
CC™ VideoSpective
CREDITS: MR. IMHOTEP MEDIA
Tuesday
Monday
Sunday
Flashback: Black lives matter; All lives matter
The horrific suffocation of George Floyd, by the knee of Officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, has not only shocked and enraged the world it has once again brought the surface the degree of hatred, prejudice and wickedness inspired by race that still exist in the hearts of some human beings.
George Floyd is the latest addition to a gallery of victims of US police brutality, against black peoples: Eric Garner, Walter Scott, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile and Freddie Gray, are examples of black men who have been murdered by American police.
In spite of outrage like the one we are witnessing today, black people continue to suffer prejudiced treatment in the hands of some white people and institutions in many white dominated countries.
The killing of Mr Floyd by a group of white American police men is a heinous and despicable crime which offends humanity.
I would like to say that it is not only blacks in America that are suffering the kind of injustice that led to the death of George Floyd . In Nigeria, police brutality of the type that claimed the life of George Floyd is routine and currently there is a Fulani knee on the neck of Nigerians.
On 7 and 8 June, 2005, six young Nigerians, 5 men and one woman of Igbo extraction, Ekene Isaac Mgbe, Ifeanyin Ozor, Chinedu Meniru, Paulinus Ogbonna and Anthony and Augustina Arebu were murdered in cold blood by members of Nigerian police led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Danjuma Ibrahim. Mr Danjuma is still wearing the uniform of the Nigerian police.
In July 16 2019, Mr Chinedu Obi, aka ‘Zinquest’ an Igbo was arrested by the Nigerian Police for being covered in tattoos, wearing a gold chain and in possession of an expensive I-phone.The police shot him and then watched him bleed to death. These are just two examples from many.
These crimes against humanity continue to take place because the Fulani caliphate hijacked Nigeria, through a rouge constitution after the civil war.
What else can I say, when the game keeper is the poacher? What hope has the sheep, when the Shepard is a wolf? What future has Nigeria, when the Nigerian government is on the side of Fulani terrorists?
In Nigeria it is one rule for Fulanis and another for others. Fulani terrorists masquerading as cattle rearers carry AK 47 openly in Nigeria, but the police arrests others with legal gun licence because they are from other ethnic groups. The Buhari government has pursued a policy of disarming ordinary Nigerians, while aiding Fulani terrorists to arm.
Fulani terrorists are free to operate from their bases in forests, where they are supplied with Nigerian military helicopters and the world looks on.
White police officers kills one black man, thirty cities in America erupt in violence, but Fulani terrorists wipe out villages after villages in Nigeria, and the Nigerian government, press and the world keep silent. Yes, it is right to protest against evils of the type claimed the life of George Floyd, but evil has no colour. Evil is pervasive.
I am forced to as; does black life matter, only when white People kill blacks? Does black life matter when black youth kill black youth in London? Does black matter when police from Islamic north Nigeria kill Christians southerners because of who they are? Who cares about the hundreds being killed daily in Nigeria by Fulani terrorists? Are they not black lives?
What can I say. Nigerians cry on. Maybe, one day, Nigerians will wake up from magical thinking and realise that people create their own heaven or hell and no people can progress, unless they take control and commit to change, evil will win.
I suppose Black people should also fight against tribalism, toxic ethnic nationalism, corruption, religious intolerance and terrorism. This is the way to demonstrate that indeed, Black livers matter.
The white knee on the neck of black George Floyd black neck made it impossible for him to breathe and he died while the other police men and many others stood by.
In a time like this, it is easy to forget who is a racist. A racist is not only a white police Officer with his knee on the neck of a black man.
It is any human being who restricts his goodness, justice and love to people of his race, religion, nationality and or ethnicity.
It is a person, who narrowly defines his goodness and finds good reasons to exclude others from it.
Whenever a human being finds good reason to do to others, what he or she would not want others to do him, members of his family and or ethnic and religious group, that individual is a racist, who has a suffocating knee on the neck of his victim.
A racist is a person who opposes a relationship because of tribal or ethnic and or religious differences.
A racist is a person who refuses to employ another on the basis of ethnicity, gender or religion.
A racist is a human being who discriminates on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, disability and sexual orientation.
A racist is a prejudiced human being eaten up by hatred of those, who are different.
How does a man with a knee on his neck get up? While his knee was on my neck you passed by.
While his knee was on my neck, you looked away. While his knee was on my neck, you called me a criminal and a "nigger." While his knee was on my neck, what did you do? Indeed, all lives matter.
All lives matter. The colour of evil is not white. There are evil black and white peoples.
Every week in London, a black youth kills another black youth. White people spearheaded the abolition of slavery and many black peoples were involved in the slave trade. They sold blacks to whites as slaves. I have experienced evil from both whites and blacks. Evil has no colour.
It is important not to judge a race by the actions of a few people from the race. In the final analysis we are all belong to the human race and are individuals who are responsible for our actions.
If we are prepared to ascribe the evil of one individual to his race, we should also be ready to ascribe the goodness of another individual to his race.
We need to see people as individuals before the colour of their skin. We need to dig deeper. All lives matter do matter.
Freedom only comes when men reject the status quo and take control.
People overcome tyranny when they rise up to oppose evil and wrong, whenever they see it, no matter who is the victim.
It is time to demonstrate that Nigerian lives matter. It is time to end Fulani terrorism and police and, military brutality in Nigeria.
All lives matter. No one should have his knee on the neck of anther human being. End racism and ethnic nationalism, and terrorism. Embrace equality under the law and justice as fairness for all. All lives matter.
Saturday
Rewarding Graft and Incompetence - Infantino Lackey, Patrice Motsepe’s rubber stamped re-selection as CAF President
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| Infantino’s CAF Influence |
CC™ PersPective
South African businessman, Dr Patrice Motsepe was last year re-elected unopposed as President of the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) for a second four-year term.
The decision was ratified at the 14th CAF Extraordinary General Assembly in Cairo, extending his leadership of the organization until 2029.
Motsepe’s re-election came after a first term widely praised for stabilizing CAF’s finances and boosting its global profile. Under his leadership, the organization set several new records at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Cote d’Ivoire 2023, attracting a record 1.4 billion viewers worldwide.
Prize money for major tournaments, including the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, has also increased significantly, alongside enhanced financial support for Member Associations.
In the midst of the much vaunted successes under his leadership, apart from accusations of sectional bias against historically successful sub-regional football bodies like the West African Football Union (WAFU), Motsepe has so far failed to stamp out acerbic corruption within CAF.
Motsepe, 63, faced no opposition after the nomination deadline passed in November 2024. His decision to run again followed requests from Member Association Presidents and key stakeholders.
Motsepe also emphasized his administration’s commitment to transparency and integrity in football governance.
Addressing stadium infrastructure challenges, Motsepe highlighted the strides made under his leadership.
“Now, we have 12 nations who are not playing home games in their countries. Previously, it was 38 nations, but we want to make sure everyone can have a standard stadium and play their matches at home.”
Dr Motsepe’s unopposed re-election reflects both confidence in his leadership and the desire to see him elevate African football to new heights. On CAF’s executive committee, five others were elected unopposed alongside Samuel Eto’o.
Mustapha Ishola Raji of Liberia retained his seat for another four years, while Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo), Wallace Karia (Tanzania), Kurt Simeon-Okraku (Ghana), and Sadi Walid (Algeria) are new to the committee.
Elvis Chetty of the Seychelles lost his place when Feizal Sidat (Mozambique) and Samir Sobha of Mauritius were voted in to represent Southern Africa.
Friday
A case of too many cooks possibly spoiling the broth.....
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| Seattle Sounders FC - "Just Trophies Please" |
One is not sure exactly what to make of this but in what could aptly be described as a case of "too many cooks possibly spoiling the broth", the increasingly rudderless ownership of the Seattle Sounders professional soccer team has just announced that 11 families will be joining their ownership group.
Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson and his wife, singer Ciara, join hip-hop star Macklemore and his wife, Tricia Davis in headlining the new group of investors. In addition to the previous owners Adrian Hanauer, Drew Carey and Jody Allen (the sister of the late billionaire, Paul Allen), the new ownership group now includes:
- Former Microsoft executive Terry Myerson and his wife, Katie Myerson
- Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and his wife, Anu Nadella
- Microsoft chief financial officer Amy Hood and her husband, Max Kleinman
- Microsoft corporate vice president of experiences and devices Joe Belfiore and his wife, Kristina Belfiore
- Former Microsoft senior executive and current managing director of Madrona Venture Group, Soma Somasegar, and his wife, Akila Somasegar
- Chief product officer at Twilio, Chee Chew and his wife, Christine Chew, who is president of the Bellevue School Board
- David Nathanson, formerly of FOX Sports Media Group, and his wife, Sabina Nathanson
- Former Pandora CEO Brian McAndrews and his wife, Elise Holschuh, who serves on the strategy committee of Hugo House
- Mark Agne, former managing partner at Softbank Investment Advisors, and Tomoko Agne.
It remains to be seen exactly how the now crowded group of decision makers (most of whom know absolutely nothing about the beautiful game) will influence off-field moves that ostensibly will have a decided impact on what happens on the field. While teams like LAFC and Atlanta United are building their brands and writing their soccer legacies in bold and gold, it is 'troubling' to see a once serious franchise being turned into an Emerald City circus show.
The dreams of most Sounders' fans including this writer is to build the equivalent of a soccer (football) behemoth in the Pacific Northwest, akin to a Liverpool, as the atmosphere at Centurylink Field can only be compared to one place and one place alone in the world, Anfield!
One can't help but think that the original ownership of the Sounders failed to capitalize on the emerging brand that Seattle was becoming and rather than build on the MLS Cup victory of three years ago, they got conservative and became more interested in turning a profit, as opposed to hauling in more trophies. Thus, they missed a glorious opportunity to leave an indelible mark on the American and indeed global soccer landscape. Imagine if the Sounders had won the CONCACAF Champions League and not only participated in, but did well at the FIFA World Club Cup? That should be the vision of the Sounders' ownership as anything else would be a disservice to its loyal supporters.
One only hopes that this new turn will be for the best as most Sounders' fans could care less about Russell Wilson and Ciara being in the VIP box if this team is not winning trophies on a consistent basis.
Go Sounders and oh yes, the Timbers stink!
Thursday
British Imperialism: Argentina ends deal but the UK still insists the Falklands are British
The UK has insisted the Falkland Islands are British after Argentina broke a co-operation deal and pushed for talks on the islands' sovereignty.
In 2016, both sides agreed to disagree on the sovereignty of the Falklands in favor of improved relations.
Argentina pulled out of the pact this week and informed UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.
The Falkland Islands were subject to a bloody war in 1982 when Argentina tried to stake a territorial claim.
In response, Mr Cleverly tweeted: "The Falkland Islands are British.
“Islanders have the right to decide their own future - they have chosen to remain a self-governing UK Overseas Territory."
The 2016 agreement between Argentina and the UK pledged to "improve co-operation on South Atlantic issues of mutual interests".
Mr Cleverly was informed about the decision by his Argentinean counterpart Santiago Cafiero when the pair met at the G20 summit in India earlier this week.
Mr Cafiero called for talks on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas.
The UK's minister for the Americas, David Rutley, said it was a "disappointing decision" after he had had a "constructive visit" to Buenos Aires.
"Argentina has chosen to step away from an agreement that has brought comfort to the families of those who died in the 1982 conflict," he said.
The Falkland Islands are a British overseas territory in the south-west Atlantic Ocean. Argentina has long claimed sovereignty over the islands.
Argentina invaded in 1982 in a bid to reclaim sovereignty and said it had inherited the Falkland Islands from Spain in the 1800s.
A brief but bitter war lasting 74 days followed - with 655 Argentinian, 255 British and three Falkland casualties - before British forces regained control on 14 June 1982.
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