I’m not sure how old you are, but if you lived through the 60s, you’ll remember aircraft hijackings and other terrorist activity.
The region had been made more complex by Russian presence there.
This may seem like a simple decision with no down side.
It isn’t.
We do not want Chinese military bases in the region. We do not want Chinese Navy ports in the Mediterranean.
If can’t handle our men dying on foreign soil, it’s going to be a tough next fifty years for you.
We will be engaged around the world for as long as you live.
China wants to defeat us economically, not militarily. The military is to support their economic presence. We have ignored their economic strength, as well as intentionally depleting ours, and I am afraid we are going to end up paying big-time for that.