If China make a move for Taiwan the Americans will have to respond in extremely strong way. South East Asia is the most important region in the world. If Americans do not save Taiwan they will have to exit that region and leave it to the Chinese which they can not afford to do. Failure to respond would result in loss of Japan, South Korea,.......from list of very important American allies. This would lead to complete American collapse. Realizing that Americans can not be present in force everywhere the elite leadership are vacating unimportant regions: Afghanistan, Eastern Europe,......to focus on the Chinese threat. China is the greatest threat to USA since Britain around the time of American War of Independence. Every American President will play politics with Chinese because American Corporations are making billions there using Chinese labor and inexpensive energy provided to China by Russian Federation.
The American Asian strength is mostly naval. Afghanistan was a political sideshow. We have plenty of places to place significant naval and air bases if needed to defend SE Asia.
Where else are we vacating? Please share.
The Taiwan thing I'm not so sure about. 45/55 in my book whether at the end of the day we defend Taiwan in a kinetic fight. I don't think US top leadership, both civilian and military, have the guts to do what it takes. I think they are really afraid of a peer level fight. Japan and South Korean MUST be very, very worried. If they jump in then I think the US will jump in. I agree the US cannot afford to loose either one to the Chinese. The South Koreans are very vulnerable. Hordes of North Koreans would flood the border in a heart beat. How could they be stopped if conventional military force fails. Scary. I would not want to be in the army and stationed in SK.
