May 21, 2012
Monday

Letter to the Editor: 

The U.S. Defense Department believes China will soon have anti-ship missiles with a range of 1000 miles, B-6 bombers armed with long range cruise missiles, aircraft carriers, 75 surface navy ships, 60 submarines and missile boats.  These forces will enable China to project its influence in the Asia Pacific region.

China has claimed territorial sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including areas near the Philippines and Japan, and Chinese ships have violated waters in close proximity to a number of Asian countries.  This has prompted the U.S., South Korea, Australia and India to implement security agreements, and Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines have sought to foster closer ties to the U.S., India and Japan.

In the face of China’s expansionist policies the U.S. should encourage Pacific allies, especially Japan, South Korea and India, to build up their military forces.  We should rethink the proposed cuts in our military, especially the cuts to our Navy.  We are down to 285 ships and might eventually have less than the 11 carrier battle groups needed to patrol the world’s oceans.  China can concentrate its forces in its region, while we have to deploy our forces around the globe.

Donald A. Moskowitz
Londonderry, NH

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