China’s Sense of Self and Place: The top goal of the Chinese national security leadership is to keep the national party in power, said Bernard Cole, international history professor at National Defense University. Speaking at AFA’s Air & Space Conference Sept. 16, Cole said that, secondly, they want to be an East Asian power, meaning that they don’t want anything to happen in Asia of which they would disapprove. And concerning issues affecting the world order, the Chinese want their voice to be heard.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
