The South China Sea is not a vital interest. Our impending bankruptcy & collapse here are.
Exactly. Being the "policeman of the world" has done nothing for us but bankrupt our treasury and waste thousands of U.S. lives. We squandered TRILLIONS in Iraq and Afghanistan while the Chinese did not spend a dime for the fake "war on terror" after 9/11. We handed them the keys to the international trade throne room, and got NOTHING in return but cheap Walmart SKUs.