Thread: "China poses growing threat, Tancredo says"

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs. ... 1/BUSINESS

China poses growing threat, Tancredo says
The presidential candidate says the country is in a 'clash of civilizations.'



July 30, 2007




Waukee, Ia. - Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo on Sunday stressed that the United States must overcome converging threats posed by radical Islam, communist China and broken borders.

"It will determine not only what kind of nation we are, but whether we are a nation at all," Tancredo said before a group of roughly 40 people who gathered at a campaign stop in Waukee.

The U.S. representative from Colorado is in Iowa to bolster support for the Aug. 11 Ames Republican straw poll - an event expected to winnow the field of contenders. Tancredo, who received 2 percent support in the most recent poll of Iowa Republicans, conducted by KCCI, has said a poor straw poll showing could push his chances of victory in the Iowa caucuses even further from reach.

Tancredo said normalized trade relations with China have strengthened its communist leadership instead of spawning democracy as many open trade advocates predicted.

The Chinese government is using its economic muscle to build military power, he said.

"China is not just an economic threat," he said. "It is also a military threat."

Tancredo cited a recent Chinese missile launch that downed a satellite as reason for concern.

He also criticized current rules of engagement in the United States' wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, saying they put American soldiers in peril because they are not able to take decisive action to achieve battlefield success.

"We can no longer afford to fight politically correct wars or in politically correct ways," the Republican said. "... There's only one rule of engagement - I believe we should go into war with: 'We win; they lose,' " he said.

Tancredo advocates redeployment of U.S. troops from the front lines in Iraq to strategic locations elsewhere in the Middle East to allow American forces to "surgically" strike military targets throughout the region.

"It's important that we move quickly to turn Iraq over to the Iraqis," he said.

Tancredo also said he does not view the United States' operations at home and abroad as a "war on terror," but rather, a "war against radical Islam."

Waukee Republican Tom Miller, 57, said he thinks Tancredo is right to warn that the United States is in a "clash of civilizations" against radical Islam, China and illegal immigration.

"I think he's trying to get it to the forefront so it's not a crisis," he said.

Miller said he is leaning toward Tancredo as he weighs which candidate to support at the straw poll.

Miller agrees with those who argue that the Republican Party and the nation suffer from a leadership vacuum.

Too many elected officials do what's "politically expedient" Miller said, and he appreciates Tancredo's willingness to criticize President Bush and the GOP establishment.

Reporter Jason Pulliam can be reached at (515) 284-8214 or jpulliam@dmreg.com

"We can no longer afford to fight politically correct wars or in politically correct ways," the Republican said. "... There's only one rule of engagement - I believe we should go into war with: 'We win; they lose,' " he said.

This cannot be said better...if we fight, we fight to win.

The Chinese government is using its economic muscle to build military power, he said.

"China is not just an economic threat," he said. "It is also a military threat."

What took Tancredo so long to come around to Hunter's way of thinking on China?

Well, this is a good thing because it proves someone other than me is listening to Hunter.