Kathrine Frich
Military leaders constantly scan the globe for emerging dangers.
While recent headlines focus heavily on explosive conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, top commanders are looking elsewhere.
A much larger geopolitical storm is quietly gathering on the horizon.
A new threat
A top American military leader recently issued a staggering public warning about the terrifying future of global combat.
Lieutenant General Stephen Sklenka delivered his blunt assessment during the recent Modern Day Marine Expo in Washington.
The official explicitly warned that Beijing presents an unparalleled danger to national security today. “There is no greater threat to us than China,” Sklenka stated according to Wirtualna Polska.
Sklenka serves as the deputy commander for installations and logistics in the United States Marine Corps.
He previously gained deep insight into foreign leadership thinking while working at the United States Indo-Pacific Command.
According to his assessment, Chinese leader Xi Jinping desperately wants to alter the current global order. The foreign government aims to “push the United States out of its global leadership position,” as the general explained.
The industrial advantage
The general compared this looming danger to the current halted conflict in the Middle East. He noted that even a middle power can inflict severe damage.
“We’ve been in the middle of a war for about two months.
The Iranians have launched hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles at our bases and our allies throughout the region,” Sklenka noted.
A potential clash with Beijing would be significantly more devastating due to sheer manufacturing volume.
Sklenka pointed out that Chinese factories have consistently outpaced American industrial sectors for over a decade.
“China’s shipbuilding capacity is reportedly 230 times greater than that of the United States,” the general continued during his presentation.
Changing the battlefield
The foreign military is also rapidly expanding its hidden naval fleet and missile stockpiles. “Beijing has also more than doubled its production of nuclear-powered submarines,” Sklenka warned.
The next major global conflict will look completely different from traditional warfare. The military expert believes initial strikes will likely involve massive cyberattacks shutting down domestic power grids.
Adversaries might also launch targeted disinformation campaigns against military families or send drone swarms directly at domestic installations.
Because of these new tactics, Sklenka insists that all domestic and foreign bases must now operate as active battlefield formations.
Sources: Modern Day Marine Expo
