Have we lost the will to fight for our freedom?.One only has to look at the situation in Ukraine and Taiwan to see Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin think so. Not only that, but they know so..The war in Ukraine is nowhere near an end. In fact, it looks like the Mad Russian is doubling down by increasing troop strength for another big push..Meanwhile, despite US sabre-rattling in the South China Sea, the People's Republic of China is not holding back in its daily aircraft incursions and military intimidation of the small, democratic island of Taiwan. And it's only getting worse. Our pals in China are sprinting ahead on all fronts, while we in the West appear to lack urgency..According to a US Air Force University report released last week, China's military is engaged in a large scale expansion of both nuclear and conventional missiles..The report is troubling. Issued by the USAF's China Aerospace Studies Institute and cited in the Washington Times, it says The People’s Liberation Army’s Rocket Force (PLARF), formerly the 2nd Artillery, is expanding both in the sophistication of its missiles and size of its arsenal and calls the expansion “incredibly” large and rapidly increasing..The speed of the missile buildup intensified between 2010 and 2020 with the addition of 13 new brigades along with longer-range and multi-warhead DF-41 road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles, dual nuclear-conventional DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missiles, and deployment of the world’s first hypersonic missile, the DF-17..“Incredibly, between 2017 and late 2019 the PLARF added at least 10 new missile brigades,” the report said..“This unprecedented expansion from 29 to 39 brigades represents a more than 33% increase in size in only three years.”.Ten new missile brigades — these guys mean business, and they're playing the long game..In space exploration and technology, a similar situation exists..China is now “on track” to outpace the US as the leading space power by 2045, according to the latest version of the space industrial base workshop report spearheaded in part by the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Breaking Defense reported..A reason for this pessimistic viewpoint is a collective “lack of urgency” across the US government and industry, as well as a bureaucratic environment “that is constructively delaying US commercial progress through regulatory burden,” states the report: “State of the Space Industrial Base: Winning the New Space Race for Sustainability, Prosperity and the Planet.”.“China could surpass the US in space superiority if we don’t increase our investment,” DIU Director Michael Brown said in tandem with the release of the 2022 report..Switching back to Ukraine, the actions of Putin have put the fear of God into every nation within striking distance..So much so, countries are lining up to buy F-35 fighter jets, according to media reports..“There’s huge interest from around the world,” J.R. McDonald, vice-president of F-35 business development at Lockheed Martin, said in an interview with Military.com..“And obviously the situation in Ukraine makes everybody re-think their protection and their security of their own country.”.Despite criticism not enough progress has been made on reducing costs and increasing reliability of the aircraft — as well as Capitol Hill wrangling — other nations are lining up to purchase the planes..There are eight partner countries that helped fund the F-35 program from the start: the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Australia, Norway, Denmark and Canada..The last of those partner countries to commit to the F-35 has been laggard Canada (no surprise there), which is finalizing the decision in the fall. Non-partner countries also are getting on board. Germany is perhaps the most notable, but the Czech Republic also recently announced its intention to go with the F-35 and Greece is moving that direction as well..On the armament front, the US Army has inked the long-awaited contract with General Dynamics Land Systems to send the most advanced version of its Abrams tank to Poland, the company announced last week..Poland happens to share a 310-mile border with Ukraine..GDLS, the prime Abrams manufacturer, will deliver 250 M1A2 System Enhancement Program version 3 Abrams tanks to the Polish army under a US$1.15 billion contract, capping off a year-long push by the NATO ally to buy the tanks..While it's all well and good Europe has finally awakened to the threat at large, have we closed the proverbial barn door after the cows left for the nearest bar?.And do we still have the will to fight as the previous generation did?.It was only the strength of the Allies and the Soviet Union, along with a whole lot of bravery and sacrifice, that we defeated Nazi totalitarianism..We are nowhere near that now, despite the fact new and even more ominous nuclear threats have arisen..The Devil has made a comeback, ladies and gents..I would hazard a guess we are too busy playing video games, watching our big-screen TVs and enjoying the hard-won freedom we now take for granted..Case in point: only in the last few years did they finally take down the Lancaster bomber from its pedestal on McKnight Boulevard, where it was ignominiously bombarded with bird droppings and left to rot..Every time I drove by it on my way to work and back, I cursed the city fathers for this humiliation. Mostly because I didn't understand why we weren't showing it the respect it deserved..Thankfully, funds were raised, the Lancaster bomber was restored and it's now safely ensconced at the folks at Hangar Flight Museum — people who are doing a great job preserving our wartime heritage and who should be applauded for their determination..Why more money, say, from the wealthy oilpatch hasn't been thrown at the museum is beyond me. I guess Calgary's oilpatch CEOs are too busy driving their Aston Martins and Lamborghinis to give a sh-t..But one day, one day soon — possibly as soon as the next generation — there will be a reckoning..I'm not talking about some wacky conspiracy theory, this is our reality..According to The Wall Street Journal no less, the US faces the "most daunting security landscape in 45 years.".Stung by defeat in a forever war, roiled by political turmoil and fixated on inflation and economic anxiety at home, the once mighty US has been judged weak by its adversaries, the Journal wrote in an editorial..And we, the Not-So-Great White North, are no better. The way the Trudeau administration ignored our military and its role in defending the nation, is entirely shameful..Not to worry, he gave another $100 million to LGBTQ causes this week..But he continues to fight veterans' groups in court, "because they are asking for more than we are able to give right now.”.To quote the great Rex Murphy, "the veterans who need support have been left to metaphorically stand in the rain with a begging bowl.".Disgusting. Inexplicable. Horrendous..No wonder liberal politicos are being accosted in elevators. They have it coming..And by the way, every time you buy that Made In China product at EvilMart that you really don't need ... you're helping build another nuclear silo, another aircraft carrier, another stealth fighter..The writing is on the wall, folks. Our enemies are growing stronger. And we better wake up, sooner rather than later.
