Commentary
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shown how a long war can quickly fade to the background of American interest, and any potential conflict with China has the same danger.
The conventional wisdom remains that in the event of war, the Chinese regime will quickly seize disputed territory, and the war might be over before anyone can react. This has been the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) strategic signature since it took power in 1949. In 2020, the CCP followed this method by seizing disputed territory in a flare-up with India.
China’s military spending, bellicose rhetoric, and wolf warrior diplomacy clearly show the CCP is planning for quick absorption of disputed territory in the future. But the war in Ukraine suggests that any potential conflict might take far longer than anticipated, which will test Americans’ disturbingly short attention span.
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