From the February 2005 Idaho Observer:

Dawn of a new century of war

Though the president failed to mention it in his State of the Union address, a phenomenally complex series of "geostrategeries" are taking place at this time. The underlying purpose of these activities is to secure adequate supplies of oil.

On January 18, 2005, a Washington Times article described a report entitled "Energy Futures in Asia" prepared for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. "China is building strategic relationships along the sea lanes from the Middle East to the South China Sea in ways that suggest defensive and offensive positioning to protect China’s energy interests, but also to serve broad security objectives," said the report.

China’s demand for oil and gasoline is growing rapidly. It is negotiating with Iran and other oil-producing nations to secure supplies of oil to meet its present and future needs.

Through the tsunami-affected region China must transit its Middle East oil purchases. On Feb. 9, 2005, President Bush announced that the U.S. would triple its tsunami relief commitment to $950 million. While appearing as a humanitarian gesture, it takes a lot of time and military personnel to administrate nearly a billion dollars, extending U.S. justification of a military/humanitarian presence in the area indefinitely.

According to the report, China is developing close ties to the military regime in Burma and building navy bases and electronic surveillance stations around the Straight of Malacca, through which will travel 80 percent of China’s oil.

Cambodia is helping China complete a railway from southern China to the South China Sea and building defenses to protect or deny tanker traffic in the area.

When its plans for the region mature, China will be able to project air and sea power from the mainland and island bases.

"The report reflects growing fears in the Pentagon about China’s long-term development. Many Pentagon analysts believe China’s military buildup is taking place faster than earlier estimates, and that China will use its power to project force and undermine U.S. and regional security," the Washington Times article stated.

"China ... is looking not only to build a blue-water navy to control the sea lanes, but also to develop undersea mines and missile capabilities to deter the potential for disruption of its energy supplies from potential threats, including the U.S. Navy, especially in the case of a conflict with Taiwan," the report said.

China is now a greater threat to U.S. national security than Iraq, but the president chose not to inform his nation of this fact.