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US weapons shortages could leave America vulnerable to China, historian warns

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A historian warns that US military stockpiles may be insufficient to defend against a major power like China.
  • Shortages in key weapons systems and the time needed for replenishment are cited as concerns, especially given the intense conflict in Ukraine.
  • The historian also noted economic dependencies, using Germany's car industry and Qatar's influence as examples, and criticized the US approach to Iran.

Historian Kobi Barda expressed concern on Friday that the United States could be vulnerable to major powers like China due to strains on its military stockpiles. He suggested that if China were to enter a conflict, the US might be unprepared.

If I were an American today, I would be very worried if tomorrow morning China decided to enter the conflict. There may currently be weakness in the United States.

โ€” Kobi BardaA historian specializing in American politics, Kobi Barda, warned about potential US vulnerability.

Barda pointed to reported shortages in US military supplies and the significant time required to replenish critical weapons. He noted that rebuilding stockpiles of missiles could take at least four years, according to American media. The ongoing, intense conflict in Ukraine further exacerbates these concerns, painting a bleak picture for continued military campaigns.

At least four years, according to the American media, is the time required to replenish the stockpiles of Tomahawk missiles and all the defensive missiles.

โ€” Kobi BardaBarda discussed the lengthy process needed to rebuild US military supplies.

The historian also drew parallels with economic dependencies, citing Germany's automotive industry as an example. He mentioned Volkswagen's struggle with Chinese car imports and a blocked merger with Israeli technology companies due to Qatar's shareholding. Barda questioned the implications of being dependent on a country like Qatar for production decisions while facing market saturation from Chinese products.

In principle, the feeling is that there is indeed some kind of shortage in the stockpiles, especially in light of the war, which is extremely intense in the Ukrainian arena, and this paints a fairly bleak picture of what is supposed to happen as the campaign continues at this time.

โ€” Kobi BardaBarda elaborated on the current state of US military stockpiles.

Additionally, Barda criticized Washington's strategy regarding Iran, suggesting a desire to avoid complications until after the upcoming midterm elections. He described this approach as "embarrassing."

The question arises as to what it means to be dependent on an Arab country like Qatar, which decides what the factories will produce and what they will not, while the market is flooded with Chinese products.

โ€” Kobi BardaBarda questioned the implications of foreign economic influence on production.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.