Aircraft Carriers Obsolete

The Chinese are developing a new weapon that is causing concern:

The U.S. Naval Institute, a pro-military organization, notes that a post on a Chinese blog considered credible by military analysts provides a description of an anti-ship ballistic missile that could hit U.S. ships from about 1,240 miles.

A senior U.S. Navy official at the Pentagon confirmed to FOX News that such a weapon is a tangible threat from China, but it isn't a new threat. And the U.S. Navy has systems, such as the Aegis missile defense system, that can counter the threat posed by the Chinese missile.

The size of the missile, according to the U.S. Naval Institute, allows a warhead large enough to inflict significant damage on an American super carrier in a single strike, and it raises the chances of evading tracking systems and reaching its moving target unscathed in less than 12 minutes.

I'm not an expert but surely carriers have been obsolete since the development of accurate ballistic missiles in the 60's? They have their use when fighting third world countries like North Vietnam, Panama and Iraq. However, if World War III had have broken out against the Soviets, they would've been sunk within hours. Similar to battleships that were left over from World War I, that were not suited to battle aircraft carriers in World War II.

Anyway, what's the worry? The Chinese are the biggest shareholders in USA Corp., and want to protect their investment.

Iraqi Sovereignty?

The Iraqi parliament has passed an agreement that declares a full US withdrawal of its military by 2011 and makes an unabiguous statement about Iraqi sovereignty. This agreement sounds like a big deal, but you have to search to find it. This from the International Herald-Tribune.

"This is the day of our sovereignty," said Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki.

"Together we will go forward toward a free, prosperous and glorious Iraq, where Iraqis can live with pride and dignity and can be proud that they are sons of this beloved country," he said.

....

The timetable set out in the document requires U.S. troops to withdraw from cities and towns by June 30, 2009, and for all troops to leave by the end of 2011 unless the Iraqis and Americans negotiate a separate pact to govern an extension of the American military presence.

I hope this goes smoothly. A messy emergency evacuation by the Americans and then a retaliatory sectarian slaughter afterwards a-la Vietnam is a scary scenario.

UPDATE: From the reaction of the few people I've talked to about this, I should file it in the "Who Gives a Damn" section. Amazing how bored people are with it.