by Nick Giambruno
Did you know the US Army missed its recent recruiting goal by 25% or 60,000 new soldiers?
It’s the worst recruiting crisis for the Pentagon since the end of the draft in 1973.
Even families with military backgrounds, typically the source of most recruits, are becoming less inclined to endorse military life.
Polls have shown an overly politicized military leadership and woke training programs and policies as the main reason for the steep drop.
For instance, critical race theory has embedded itself in the US military.
This includes spreading racial narratives that erode unit cohesion, classes on anti-racism, training against so-called radicalization, barring white service members from specific diversity training sessions, and the deliberate silencing of opposing viewpoints, among other policies.
West Point has introduced a minor in “Diversity and Inclusion,” while the Naval Academy provides courses that focus on themes related to “critical race theory” and “intersectionality.”
The US Air Force has even held recurring drag shows.
As part of this year’s “Pride” celebration, the Department of Defense trumpeted the story of a transgender soldier on social media (Deut. 22:5).
These are just a tiny – but illustrative – set of examples of how the US military has embraced woke values.
It should be no surprise that fewer people want to participate in this Neo-Marxist nonsense while potentially taking orders from a man pretending to be a woman, subjecting themselves to the latest vaccine mandate, all while possibly dying, losing a limb, or getting PTSD from foreign wars that have nothing to do with where they come from.
Along the same lines, the US military is making a concerted effort to reduce its reliance on hydrocarbons not because it improves its capabilities but for political reasons—to appease the climate hysterics.
However, so-called green alternatives – like electric vehicles and batteries – are not really green. They require rare strategic metals that are dirty to mine.
It also increases the US military’s dependency on China because Beijing dominates the production of the components that go into so-called green technologies. They’re also more expensive and less reliable than hydrocarbons as a power source.
In short, by embracing green and woke policies, the US military is in a self-inflicted steep decline. It’s an internal cultural rot that shows no sign of reversing as it hollows out what was once a formidable fighting force.
At the same time, the US faces an increasingly capable, non-woke peer competitor on the rise—China.
If current trends continue, China has an excellent chance of surpassing the US militarily, economically, scientifically, and in various other fields.
According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, China has a “stunning lead” over the US in 37 out of 44 critical and emerging technologies, particularly in the defense, space, energy, and biotechnology sectors.
China’s rise – and the potential displacement of the US as the preeminent global power – is arguably this century’s most important geopolitical story.
Lee Kuan Yew, the former leader of Singapore, once correctly said:
“The size of China’s displacement of the world balance is such that the world must find a new balance.
It is not possible to pretend that this is just another big player. This is the biggest player in the history of the world.”
This trend had already picked up incredible momentum even before the US military embraced self-destructive policies.
Those misguided policies have accelerated the trend by allowing China to narrow the gap faster than most expected.
The situation will soon reach a tipping point.
Thucydides Trap
Sooner rather than later, we will find out whether the US can live with being #2… or, if not, what Washington will do about it.
According to Harvard professor Graham Allison, there’s a 75% chance the US and China will go to war.
Allison bases his view on a dynamic called Thucydides Trap, which refers to the idea that when a rising power threatens to displace a ruling one, the result is often war.
It’s named after the Athenian historian Thucydides, who observed this dynamic in Ancient Greece. Today, it’s playing out between China and the US.
Allison studied 16 cases of Thucydides Trap throughout history. The result was war in 12 of them—or 75% of the time.
Military conflict between the US and China is not inevitable. But if history is any guide, there’s an excellent chance it could happen soon.
Further, it’s becoming less likely every day that the US would prevail in such a conflict. That is pressuring Washington to act sooner rather than later.
A full-blown economic war is even more likely. I think it’s a virtual certainty, and we are probably already in the early stages of one right now.
To sum it all up, the US and China are battling over who will be the world’s most dominant power.
It’s the ultimate geopolitical competition and a megatrend with enormous investment implications.
As tensions between the US and China continue to rise, I expect Washington and Beijing to focus on securing critical commodities and ensuring access to stable supplies.
I think we can bet on the geopolitical competition between the US and China causing increased demand and unstable supplies.
That’s why obtaining exposure to strategic commodities could be a winning move as the US-China rivalry heats up.
Here’s the bottom line…
Unfortunately, most people have no idea what really happens when the two biggest world powers collide, let alone how to prepare…
The coming crisis will be much worse, much longer, and very different than what we’ve seen since World War II.
Countless millions throughout history were wiped out financially—or worse—as big powers collided.
Don’t be one of them.
That’s precisely why I just released an urgent new report with all the details, including what you must do to prepare.
It’s called The Most Dangerous Economic Crisis in 100 Years… the Top 3 Strategies You Need Right Now.
Source: Doug Casey’s International Man – As the US Military Goes Woke, China Could Surpass It Sooner Than Expected
Biblical Prophecy: The US will lose a war against China
Ezekiel 13 (extract)
Because the “foolish prophets” (politicians) have seducedMy people, saying peace; and there was NO peace and one built a wall (N.A.T.O. and U.N.O.) and others daubed it with untempered mortar (non-hardening / useless cement), say to them that it shall FALL.
Ezekiel 38 (extract)
Thus says the Lord God; behold I AM against you Gog the prince of Rosh (Russia) Meshech (Moscow) and Tubal (Tobolsk) – the Western and Eastern Capitols of the U.S.S.R. (now called the C.I.S.): I will turn you back (from seeking peace) and put hooks into your jaws (hunger), and I will bring you forth, with all your armed forces and Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer, Togarmah and ALL the earth with them against My people Israel (Britain and the British Commonwealth; America; Scandinavia; the Netherlands; the Baltic States; Northern France; Northern Spain and the Jews) to the lands of unwalled villages (walls of untempered mortar) without bars or gates (no defences because of defence cuts after the “so-called” peace dividend), when they (the politicians – foolish prophets) say peace, peace and there was NO peace.