Nuclear warheads do not allow you to project power, engage in gunboat diplomacy, and cannot serve as logistics hubs for military operations or evactuions from natural disasters.
Re:Why Can't the U.S. Build Ships?
by oceanplexian on Thursday September 05, 2024 @10:31AM
(#41457008)
> While there is peace, US domestic shipbuilding fundamentally doesn't "matter" all that much politically.
You don’t think that without a warships and a nuclear aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean that Iran wouldn’t have invaded Israel? And that the entire region would have completely come apart?
Or that without carriers in the South China Sea China wouldn’t have taken Taiwan?
The US naval fleet is the #1 most powerful geopolitical tool ever invented in the history of the world. And those ships are equipped with plenty of nukes, ICBM interception, electronic warfare, etc.
>You don’t think that without a warships and a nuclear aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean that Iran wouldn’t have invaded Israel months ago?
Israel is able to nuke Iranian cities (without the help of US warships) and Iran knows that.
Re:Why Can't the U.S. Build Ships?
by nothercastle on Thursday September 05, 2024 @11:19AM
(#41457452)
You might benefit from looking at a map of Iran at some point. You’ll be surprised to learn that it’s not actually bordering Israel. A ground invasion isn’t possible without going through other countries and a water invasion would take forever and and be impractical.
The US can have approximately 10,000 troops deployed just about anywhere within a week.
Re:Why Can't the U.S. Build Ships?
by nothercastle on Thursday September 05, 2024 @06:17PM
(#41460846)
You won’t be landing 10000 troops in Israel unless they are invited. You could maybe land 10k in Iran but the country is so large and the terrain unfavorable that you would need at least 10x
Re:Why Can't the U.S. Build Ships?
by AnimalMuppet on Thursday September 05, 2024 @05:11PM
(#41460440)
Iran isn't the US. Also, 10,000 troops isn't going to be anywhere near enough to take on Israel.
I was thinking of the US going after Iran.
Re:Why Can't the U.S. Build Ships?
by quickthrowman on Thursday September 05, 2024 @01:30PM
(#41458744)
Israel has nuclear weapons that can hit Tehran.
Re:Why Can't the U.S. Build Ships?
by JumpCrisscross on Thursday September 05, 2024 @01:12PM
(#41458591)
> the pacific aircraft carrier called "Japan" is friendly
We’d also need to count on Japan and Korea for their shipbyards [1].
[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_largest_shipbuil...
While there is peace, US domestic shipbuilding fundamentally doesn't "matter" all that much politically, not compared to all the thousands of other daily issues or the big issue, tax. The article makes clear that all previous efforts at onshoring shipbuilding, including the hugely successful war efforts, involved spending a lot of public money.
If you ask the average taxpayer, how much do they want to spend on subsidies for US shipyard workers, what answer are you going to get?
(I also think the Jones Act, like other protectionism, keeps the industry intact but inefficient, another uncomfortable choice)
>> high cost of inputs, particularly labor and steel
Well, yes. A side effect of being a rich country is expensive labour because workers have other options.
> But it now faces a potential naval adversary, in the form of China, with dramatically higher shipbuilding capacity
The US has something like 5,000 live nuclear warheads, use of which might significantly reduce Chinese shipping if it comes to that.