US Air Force general warns of high probability of war with China as early as 2025
The document which was first seen on social media was later confirmed as genuine by the Pentagon after a spokesperson responded to an AFP query and said, “Yes, it's factual that he sent that out.” Photograph:( Reuters )
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The reasoning behind this speculation, as Miniham said in the document, is that since both Taiwan and US have their presidential election in 2024, the latter will be “distracted” which would give Chinese President Xi Jinping an opportunity to move on Taiwan.
The reasoning behind this speculation, as Miniham said in the document, is that since both Taiwan and US have their presidential election in 2024, the latter will be “distracted” which would give Chinese President Xi Jinping an opportunity to move on Taiwan.
A four-star United States Air Force general Mike Minihan, in an internal memo to the officers he commands, said , on Friday (January 27) that Washington might possibly go to war with China in the next two years, most likely over Taiwan and asked them to be prepared. The document in question first emerged on social media and was later confirmed by the Pentagon as “factual”. In the memorandum, the head of the Air Mobility Command, Minihan said, “I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025.”
He also spoke about the main goal should be to “deter and if required, defeat China”. The reasoning behind this speculation, as Miniham said in the document, is that since both Taiwan and US have their presidential election in 2024, the latter will be “distracted” which would give Chinese President Xi Jinping an opportunity to move on Taiwan.
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The US Air Force general also spoke about how the Chinese president has secured his third term and set his “war council” in October 2022. He added, “Xi’s team, reason, and opportunity are all aligned for 2025”. The US Air Mobility Command has some 50,000 service members and nearly 500 planes which are responsible for transport and refuelling, as per NBC.
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In the memorandum, while asking his officers to prepare, Miniham also called for the Mobile Command personnel with weapons qualifications to “fire a clip” at the target and “aim for the head”. The document which was first seen on social media was later confirmed as genuine by the Pentagon after a spokesperson responded to an AFP query and said, “Yes, it's factual that he sent that out.”
This comes as several senior US officials in recent months have said that China has seemingly sped up its timeframe to seize control of Taiwan, the democratically ruled island of 24 million people that Beijing has long claimed as a part of its sovereign territory.
(With inputs from agencies)
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