Once they're gone, policy will change from defending status quo to threat elimination.
Agree, and disagree.
Agree with everything you wrote.
Just a minor point about what I disagree with.
It is what Jesse The Body Ventura the wrestler said when he was the governor of the state of Minnesota. Before Jesse The Body became a body builder and professional wrestle, Mr. Ventura was a US Navy Seal. So he knew quite a few things with all that training and subsequent career choices.
Once as governor, Mr. Ventura was asked about death threats against him, which he received a few. He said to the media, that the death threats do not bother him, and he does not pay attention to that. Mr. Ventura said that if someone is going to kill you, they will not tell you about it when they are coming.
Same thing here. China under the leadership of the Chinese communist party with Xi Jinping as helmsman, has indicated that the People's Republic of China, might view the United States as an insolent competitor who could be handled with a more assertive voice from the People's Republic.
However, this more assertive voice from the PRC, has happened after Russia and China declaring an unlimited friendship, after RCEP and now ASEAN the important countries upgrading their relations with China, after the West Asia peace deal and the other substantiate deals with the region, after the entire South America continent goes left and pro Mao Zedong, and after becoming the biggest trading nation, the fastest growing major nation, going up the technological supply chain, and then actually making deals with others to not use the US dollar thereby a direct threat against dollar hegemony.
Whether they are really going after the Americans, or not, that is all politics. Just like what Jesse the body said, if they want to come after you, they won't tell you about it.
They will just do it.
