"Prepare but Hope", Regarding Chinese-American Conflict
One must base policy on capabilities at least as much , and probably more so, than intentions for the very simple reason that intentions change.
No one should hope for a China-America confrontation. That would be disasterous on so many different levels, however, prudence requires us to be serious about such a prospect somewhere down the road. Even if the current Chinese leadership does not envision conflict in the future (which is debateably and ultimately unknowable), we have even less ability to forecast with any sense of accuracy what a future leadsership cadre may have in mind.
"Trust but verify" must now become, "prepare but hope."
Here's a piece on the latest Chinese military capabilities report issued by the Pentagon.
No one should hope for a China-America confrontation. That would be disasterous on so many different levels, however, prudence requires us to be serious about such a prospect somewhere down the road. Even if the current Chinese leadership does not envision conflict in the future (which is debateably and ultimately unknowable), we have even less ability to forecast with any sense of accuracy what a future leadsership cadre may have in mind.
"Trust but verify" must now become, "prepare but hope."
Here's a piece on the latest Chinese military capabilities report issued by the Pentagon.
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