WHILE ALL EYES are focused on enemies who present clear and present dangers, such as those in Iraq, Afghanistan, and North Korea, another country whose military was a chief concern during the ’90s has faded to the background.

A recently released Pentagon report provides a stark reminder that America needs to keep an eye on developments in the far east. Though few in the news media paid heed to the 2004 report on Chinese military power, it offers an enlightening glimpse into Asia’s fast growing economic and military powerhouse and a vivid, although highly interpretive, look into how China sees the conduct of America’s wars.