If they attack us, it's nuclear war.
Of course, judging from some of the boneheaded things the Chinese have done in the last 5 years, I don't discount that possibility.
Although unlikely, I do agree. If anything happens between US and China, it will NOT be a long, protracted Cold War scenario. Everyone has learned their lesson there. Any military confrontation would be an attempt by either/both sides to neutralize or eliminate the other from the world stage as a military and economic power.
If we can avoid that, then I predict China will be our #1 ally within 20-25 years.
It shocked me to read on FR recently
that Bush has still not corrected--supposedly--Billdo's withdrawing our nukes from our planes and ships and subs.
I think it's outrageous that our nukes are not on all our carriers and subs every minute of every day.
In any case, China will attack us. China will invade the west coast and through Mexico. Russia will attack the East coast and take Alaska. Too many reliable people have had too many dreams and visions of such.
We did not nuke the taliban, we did not nuke the N. Vietnamese. Politically, you can not respond with a nuke against a conventional attack that is no where near your homeland without becoming a pariah state for decades or even centuries. That is why only 2 nukes have ever been used.