Mobile and Resilient, the U.S. Military Is Placing a New Emphasis on Ground Troops for Pacific Defense
.By David Rising
BANGKOK (AP) — As Chinese missile testing in the waters around Taiwan grew increasingly aggressive in 1996, the U.S. sailed two aircraft carrier groups to the island that Beijing claims as its own, and China was forced to back down.
It employed a similar response to Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel a month ago, dispatching two carrier groups to the eastern Mediterranean in a rapid and massive show of force meant to deter other countries or Iran-backed proxy groups such as Hezbollah from joining the fight.
But what is still viable in the Mideast is increasingly less practical with China, which in 1996 had no carriers of its own and little means to threaten the American ships, but now has the world’s largest navy, including three aircraft carriers, and a coastline bristling with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2023/11/09/mobile_and_resilient_the_us_military_is_placing_a_new_emphasis_on_ground_troops_for_pacific_defense_991682.html
