Book Review: A War Like No Other: The Truth About China's Challenge To America
China appears destined to be the #2 power in the world, behind the United States, in the next 50 years. China's economic and military powers are growing at an astounding pace, although still far behind the U.S. If China becomes the only other superpower, will the United States be a target for the Middle Kingdom?
A WAR LIKE NO OTHER: THE TRUTH ABOUT CHINA'S CHALLENGE TO AMERICA by Richard C. Bush and Michael E. O'Hanlon, both Senior Fellows at the Brookings Institute, takes a look at that question and the potential for trouble mainly between the United States and China in the future The authors contend that the likelihood is not a close friendship or agreement, but rather a partnership, given that our economy is now tied with China. Mutual benefit will outweigh competition, so hedging, strategic ambiguity and diplomacy will be the order of the day.
The authors mainly site Taiwan as the possible spark to a war in the region. With the difficulties China would have crossing the 100 miles of ocean to invade Taiwan, and the ambiguity of U.S. involvement, the authors contend that it is unlikely that anything will change in the near future. Were the mainland to upgrade their missile capability, it would certainly be a threat, but that would involve the chance of accidental casualties and then involvement with another regional player or the U.S.
Mutual cooperation and fear of failure on both sides, economically and on the world stage, makes an all-out war with China and the U.S unlikely. But, as Joseph Nye is quoted as saying, "...if Washington treats China as its enemy, it will become its enemy, because of the way it perceives U.S. intentions and readjusts its behavior."
