Lyle J. Goldstein discusses the terrifying possibility of war between the U.S. and China. There are plenty of hawks in the U.S. government, he says, who might try to fight China were they to attack Taiwan or exert their influence elsewhere in the region. But even leaving aside the potential catastrophe of a nuclear war, Goldstein says American strategists don’t give enough credence to the possibility that China could now defeat the U.S. even in a conventional war. The entire doctrine of trying to be the dominant military power in the world forever is foolish, wasteful and dangerous—instead, America should make clear that it would defend its major allies against unreasonable Chinese aggression, but otherwise not try to govern the other half of the planet under the threat of military force.

Discussed on the show:

• “Beijing has a plethora of military options against Taiwan after 2022” (The Hill)
• “The Indo-Pacific Strategy Is a Recipe for Disaster” (Lawfare)
• 1992 Draft Defense Planning Guidance
• “The Longest Telegram: A Visionary Blueprint for the Comprehensive Grand Strategy Against China We Need” (War on the Rocks)
• Meeting China Halfway: How to Defuse the Emerging US-China Rivalry
  
• “The Rise of the Rest” (Fareed Zakaria)

Lyle J. Goldstein is Research Professor in the China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI) at the United States Naval War College in Newport, RI. He is the author of Meeting China Halfway: How to Defuse the Emerging US-China Rivalry. Follow his work at The National Interest.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Photo IQ; Green Mill Supercritical; Zippix Toothpicks; and Listen and Think Audio.

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