The Coronavirus

[Classic-Xer]

(05-03-2020, 06:00 PM)Bob Butler 54 Wrote:

(05-03-2020, 02:00 PM)Warren Dew Wrote: I still think a real war is more likely.  With both Presidential candidates vying for who can be more xenophobic about China, we don't seem to be heading for a more peaceful world.

I am not worried about a war with China.  I don’t think even Trump is stupid enough to start a land war in Asia.  He is about himself, and not about allies.  He has disengaged from everything.

As we are not apt to start a land war in Asia, who would be eager to start a sea war with the United States?  China recently aborted it’s fifth and sixth carrier, likely as they have been unable to launch an aircraft from water with nearly the fuel and payload of the Americans.  If you want to challenge the US to a carrier duel in the Pacific you need to hit hard at range.  China has given up on using carriers for that.

But there is one area were the two could easily find common cause, could cooperate fully.  Each government needs a foreign power to yap at to draw their own press away from their own mistakes with COVID 19.  A good deal of indignant sound and fury seems possible.  I wouldn’t worry about it.  Trump is in the eyes of most foreign leaders a harmless fool, so nothing is apt to escalate except the noise level.

I wish he were far enough away to be harmless to Americans.

We could probably start a war within China or back independence for Hong Kong or convince the G7 to vote to ix nay China or do all of them. China probably isn't going to nuke itself.