Is the US Military Prepared for a Potential War Against China?
AllSides Summary
As tensions rise between the United States and China, some are sounding alarms regarding the U.S. military’s ability to deter conflict and engage in a potential war against China.
The New York Times Opinion published an essay by Ross Babbage, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington. Babbage outlined shortcomings in the U.S. military, determined that “building a stronger deterrence by addressing such weaknesses is the best means of averting war. But this will take time. Until then, it is important for Washington to avoid provocations and maintain a civil discourse with Beijing.”
An analysis in the Wall Street Journal outlined the past 30 years of American military development, finding that “preoccupation with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan” delayed the military in its shift to preparation for a potential war between major powers such as Russia and/or China, stating that the U.S. “isn’t yet ready, and there are major obstacles in the way.”
An opinion piece in the National Review cited Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Western nation’s response as jump-starting a stalled defense–industrial base, writing, “the decision to help Ukraine, born of tragedy, might have been the very moment the West awakened to the need to defend itself.” The piece called for further development and investment in defense and industrial power, stating, “We should build on what we are accomplishing in Ukraine as we prepare ourselves for a bigger fight we want to deter — and can’t afford to lose.”
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