[BroncosFan]

. . . I can see the "Select Committee on the US-PRC War of 2009" noting how, in a blind rush to dedicate limited intel assets to the GWOT, we back-burnered the Taiwan issue and, as such, we caught by surprise about many of the PLA's early moves.

[Texas_Jarhead]

"China is playing with fire, and it's uncertain how many Chinese leaders are even aware of how dangerous a game they are involved in."

This I think is a very serious potential problem. Large scale arrogance and ignorance on the part of military and political leadership.

[Paul_Denton]

Moreover, China has nuclear weapons, and the temptation to threaten use of nukes if more powerful American forces do not back off. China is playing with fire, and it's uncertain how many Chinese leaders are even aware of how dangerous a game they are involved in.

Dangerous for them. They use even one nuke and its all over for China.

[Gengis Khan]

There is a chance that China might even get into a conflict with Russia over the oil rich Siberian region not to mention its tussle with Japan, India and Vietnam. India and US control the shipping lanes that is so vital for China. For now China has just too many problems surrounding it but China has been playing it smart here. It props up proxies to taken on its other enemies: N Korea to take on Japan and Pakistan to take on India while China itself will wait for its time to come and the American power to fall. And after that a powerful (nuclear)China will make its first move.

America must strike out China now and with minimum use of force put it out of economic competition for next 30 years. The best way to do that is to provoke China or limit its economic, military or diplomatic options into making it do something stupid.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

It is true that there is a danger here. But I wonder just how much. China depends on the U.S. for trade. They would surely be hesitant to risk an embargo that could seriously cripple their economy. OTOH, corruption is so widespread and endemic, that many peasants are not happy. Governments have started wars before to take citizens' minds off of their domestic problems.

[Dr. Marten]

PING