Black Hawk Down, does it matter?

[Mr. Perfect]

It's fun to see Ib say in other threads that if you aren't doing something it is because you don't have the capability (fighting harder in AFG) but in this case just because the Chinese aren't doing something doesn't mean they can't.

I enjoy moments like these.

[noddy]

how did the corrupt, and by modern standards, non democratic government of industrial revolution hold the west back ?

the chinese are in full dickensian mode for the empowered at the moment, any businessman can make anything happen with the right contacts and bribes.

dont let all that eglatarian democracy stuff distract you.

[Azrael]

[noddy]

see above - i know quite a few chinese and who interact with the country fairly often - 50's cliches of communism miss the mark.

they are fully centralised still and corruption runs rampant, but its not communism.

[Azrael]

[Azrael]

[Azrael]

[noddy]

[Ibrahim]

[Azrael]

[Azrael]

[Ibrahim]

[Azrael]

[skyhook77sfg]

INTERESTING COInCIDENCE

the chineese connection

to topic at hand




the stealth aircraft this thread is originally about is the second stealth aircraft that crashed in a denied area.

the first stealth encountered a Soviet SA 3 Goa missile (the rumor it was a modified Stinger is false)

and then the Kosovo hillside soon surrounded by the Serbian army

that got its revenge by parting out the Lockheed F 117 Nighthawk

to a number of interested parties among whom the Chineese

paid the highest price in lives

one night in Belgrade....

interesting co in cidence

dont you think

[Captain Murphy]

[Azrael]

[Mr. Perfect]

Knock 'em dead Az.

There is plenty of money to be made on trinkets, shiny baubles according to Lebron, but lots of money to made on quality also. They pick one and not the other.

[Ibrahim]

[Ibrahim]

[Azrael]

[Ibrahim]

[Tinker]

[Colonel Sun]

China's Top Exports in 2010

Commodity description Volume [USD billion] % change over 2009

Electrical machinery and equipment 388.8 29.1
Power generation equipment 309.8 31.4
Apparel 121.1* 20.5*
Iron and steel 68.1* 44.1*
Optics and medical equipment 52.1 34.0
Furniture 50.6 30.0
Inorganic and organic chemicals 43.2* 34.9*
Ships and boats 40.3 42.1
Vehicles, excluding rail 38.4 37.5
Footwear 35.6 27.1

Most people's perception of Chinese products is based on a trip to Walmart or it's equivalent in Europe, Japan, SE Asia.
However, that is not representative and, frankly, rather naive.
It would be a mistake to discount China as a competitor.
Japan certainly does not do so.

As for the Chinese govt, it has evolved from Maoism into a kleptocratic oligarchy with CCP member privilege in business.
During periods of very rapid GDP growth this model seems to have more or less worked.

Whether or not it can be sustained in a more mature economy with a rapidly aging population is an open question.

[Ibrahim]

[Ibrahim]