[BartSimpson]

Commanderkai,
Someone else touched on the point that the Japanese produce their own fighter aircraft and I have it on good authority that their version of the F-15 is superior to anything the USAF ever did with the same aircraft. The Japanese have even launched small satellites using their F-15 as a first stage booster (which means they can shoot down satellites in low earth orbit).
As to the comments by the Japanese General, you need to understand that the Japanese do not 'bluster' as that is considered rude. Japan can, indeed, launch an amphibious operation and put everything they have on the Asian mainland in a very short time. See, those same ships that deliver Toyotas to North America can also be used to deliver armor to Asia. They're called 'roll-on, roll-off' (RORO) ships and the US military uses exactly those kind of ships to move armor around the world.
Japan's NYK line has twenty such ships currently mothballed. That's approximately ten complete armoured battalions that can be transported in one shot with that capability and Japan has over 100 such ships. Basically, every tank they have could be sent to Asia in one shot. They literally have a greater amphib capability that anyone else in the world.

[bootlegga]

I picked up Friedman's book this week from the library and I have to admit, he puts forth a good case for Turkey and Japan emerging as regional powers by by mid century.

I don't necessarily agree with all of his predictions (he's a futurist), such as China collapsing and becoming something similar to what it was from 1850 - 1950, a collection of territories ruled by a weak central government and influenced by foreign powers. I also find his prediction of a second Cold War with Russia (and Russia breaking up shortly afterwards) a bit of a stretch. His belief that NATO will fall apart/become totally irrelevant though is possible (largely due to German and French unwillingness to use force to prevent crises) especially given how difficult it is to get either nation to step up militarily outside of western Europe.

[andyt]

Sure, but you have to look at the history of Europe to see why France and Germany might feel that way, and certainly any time Germany does anything there is general howling that they're about to start the 5th Reich. Imagine the reaction if Germany started their own nuclear program, which is really the only deterrent against the Russians or Chinese.

[Dragom]

I guess Japan could build the Toyota brand light tank and fill 100 transport ships with them.

I'm sorry I just can't bring myself to have faith in the quality of a Japanese MBT.

As long as China can bring in freshly purchased Russian tanks by rail I have no faith in Japan seriously thinking about leaving their island.

[commanderkai]

bootlegga bootlegga:

Apparently, you've never heard of sarcasm...

It's not sarcasm, it's insults. Comparing somebody's beliefs, even jokingly, to that of Hitler or Stalin is wrong, and you know it.

$1:

Whatever, as usual, we'll have to agree to disagree...

Nothing wrong with that. I enjoy these discussions, and hopefully you do as well.

[DerbyX]

commanderkai commanderkai:

It's not sarcasm, it's insults. Comparing somebody's beliefs, even jokingly, to that of Hitler or Stalin is wrong, and you know it.

No, whats wrong is your disgusting revisionist belief that Hitler was anything but a christian compounded by your blaming communism and Atheism for 100 million deaths when you attempt to mitigate or deflect your religions great evil in the world.

That is insulting to all intelligent beings.

Don't ever try and post holocaust denial history again, and denying Hitler was a christian IS holocaust revisionism.

I'd love another shot at you over this.

[rickc]

DerbyX DerbyX:

commanderkai commanderkai:

It's not sarcasm, it's insults. Comparing somebody's beliefs, even jokingly, to that of Hitler or Stalin is wrong, and you know it.

No, whats wrong is your disgusting revisionist belief that Hitler was anything but a christian compounded by your blaming communism and Atheism for 100 million deaths when you attempt to mitigate or deflect your religions great evil in the world.

That is insulting to all intelligent beings.

Don't ever try and post holocaust denial history again, and denying Hitler was a christian IS holocaust revisionism.

I'd love another shot at you over this.

I feel like I walked into a movie at the halfway point.I have read this thread from start to finish,and nowhere did I see commanderkai come anywhere close to holocaust denial.If I am not mistaken I am pretty sure I read a thread a few weeks ago about Israel,and commanderkai was taking point in the defense of Israel.Hardly something a holocaust denier would take the time to do.

[Scape]

I would like to see this stay on topic as well.

[ShepherdsDog]

Seeing the topic involved, that could be problematic.

[PostFactum]

NO

[ShepherdsDog]

No what?

[PostFactum]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

No what?

Turkey never will be a leader of the muslim world, Maybe you think that I've said it to your quote, but i've said it to all topic

[ShepherdsDog]

ok, wasn't sure what you were referencing.

[PostFactum]

[Public_Domain]

I believed it used to be, as the Ottoman Empire, but no. I mean, how often do you hear about Turkey?

Islam, I believe, is rather disenfranchised.

No state is the "Leader of Islam"