Air Force secretary says he's seen nothing 'more disturbing' in 50-year career than t

[Boats]

Air Force secretary says he's seen nothing 'more disturbing' in 50-year career than this move by China
By: Anders Hagstrom | Fox News 03-29-23
Re: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/air...his-move-china

China's expansion of its nuclear arsenal is the most "disturbing" development that Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has seen in his decades long career, he told lawmakers Tuesday.

Kendall made the statement during a hearing before the House Appropriations Committee. Kendall, with a 50-year U.S. military and defense career, says China's development into a top-level nuclear power is a major issue.

"I don't think I've seen anything more disturbing in my career than the Chinese ongoing expansion of their nuclear force," Kendall told lawmakers.

"For decades, they were quite comfortable with an arsenal of a few hundred nuclear weapons, which was fairly clearly a second-strike capability to act as a deterrent," Kendall stated. "That expansion that they're undertaking puts us into a new world that we've never lived in before, where you have three powers — three great powers, essentially — with large arsenals of nuclear weapons."

Kendall, who graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1971, argued that the U.S. needs to start a dialogue with Russia and especially China, stating that open lines of communication were a major factor in preventing nuclear escalation during the Cold War.

"Russia's latest move on the New START treaty is not helping — it's going in the wrong direction," Kendall said. "Nobody wants a nuclear war. We do not want to go back to [the Cold War] world of 30 years ago. I thought we would never be in this position again, and here we are. So, we need to be wise. We really need to start talking to them."

China announced plans late last year to more than triple its nuclear warhead stockpile by 2035, according to a Pentagon report.

The report, titled "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China," assessed that China "probably" expanded its nuclear program in 2021 and that its stockpiles have "surpassed 400" warheads.

"If China continues the pace of its nuclear expansion, it will likely field a stockpile of about 1,500 warheads by its 2035 timeline," the Department of Defense assessed.

Kendall told lawmakers that war with China is far from inevitable, and emphasized that staying ahead of the country's military capabilities was the key to deterrence.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personal note: What have we been doing sleeping at the wheel! I have to wonder
what shape our nuclear weapons are in and are they enough to counter any
incoming - lets say by three or four Nations firing upon us? All you need to know
is that if three or four nuclear active countries fire their weapons at the same
time - it will be an over-whelming catastrophe for us to counter them all.
-
Have we taken our missiles out of late? Are they all on the ready to counter
those incoming elements. Will we have enough to damage those firing on us?
-
These cold war habits of late seem to indicate more than one Nation will
be firing at us. Can we really counter such a show of force and still remain
free from a nuclear attack? How ready are we - REALLY! should these
events take place? Do people have enough time to Duck & Cover or
should we just sit outside and wait for the end results?
-
In the 50's & 60's in the morning and night we'd get a signal or a TV
announcement - That This Is A Drill. Haven't heard that in very long
time. Are our People being forewarned? Or do we just stand outside
and let them rip?
-
These recent show and tell weapons and threats are not getting
enough attention - to the US public. Will we even know if an incoming
is on its way - followed by several 100 more? Should we dig holes
and bury ourselves - no instructions - nowhere to hide - and be
safe. We know it's coming but we act as though its nothing!
-
Can we really knock them down before they arm themselves
and all and all - nobody acts like it will ever happen? No
excitement from the war department - only threats - and even
those don't scare off the bad guys.
-
Maybe? Jjust Maybe - it won't happen - but I don't think so.
To many radical's now having nukes to shoot back.
-
End Result - End of Day's - Radio-active materials & food
stuffs all contaminated - as well has the water. Tell me I'm
the only one worried. I'm old - but my Grand-Kids aren't
and I worry about them - don't you?!
-
2/3rd's of the world will be polluted and poisoned lands.
-
And we call ourselves Mankind - we are destroyer's in
the making. Wealth will be meaningless - NO WINNER'S!
-