Mahan ("The Influence of Sea Power upon History") argues that a nation that depends on ocean-based commerce requires control of the seas. The long term view req

Mahan ("The Influence of Sea Power upon History") argues that a nation that depends on ocean-based commerce requires control of the seas. The long term view requires China to exert such control. Apparently someone in China studies history. This must challenge the dominant force, the U.S. Navy. It is only a matter of time and circumstance that guarantees an attempt to shift of the balance of control and, as that shift is a fundamental power struggle, it implies war. Building a chain of islands in the South China Sea is clever. Islands are harder to sink than carriers. Destablizing support of forward deep water ports (the Phillipines) weakens the ability to maintain a forward presence. Building a "great firewall" against electronic attack minimizes the problem of electronic infrastructure attacks. Building nuclear and hydro power sources reduces the dependence on foreign coal, making blockades less effective. Slowly, the weakest points are being reduced, area denial/area defenses are increasing. The Navy knows this is happening. They will have alternative strategies. That won't matter, of course, because the new administration "knows more than the generals (admirals)". No doubt the new administration has a "secret plan" which will solve all of the problems. TPP was a diplomatic attempt to align many nations in an economic coalition involving all of the end points of trade. The ability to throttle/cut off trade by economic means rather than military means would allow a diplomatic solution to the power struggle, avoiding war. "Economic coalition" is not a term of art for the new administration. Diplomacy is not even in the new dictionary. It won't be "just a naval war over there". A power grid shutdown for a week will lead to starvation rather quickly. You can't get food without trucks. You can't get trucks without gas. You can't get gas without electicity. We can't even distribute water to Flint WITH everything working. Feeding NYC without power will be an impossible task. "Any Society is Three Square Meals away from Anarchy". We could avoid all of this with proper diplomacy, respect, and negotiation. But we won't. God save the King.