[watt]

> if they wanted to switch to pumping out destroyers, missiles and drones

This is such a naive take. Nobody is coming to US to try to outgun you. The moment petrodollar wobbles, the moment US Dollar stops being the world reserve currency, the game will be over for you. You will discover what it really means to be competitive, once the world stops giving you goods essentially in exchange for glass beads.

[lowbloodsugar]

Sure. If US leaders had sense, they wouldn’t engage adversaries they can’t beat. I’m not saying China will start this war. I’m saying China doesn’t need to. China can just watch it happen. Like the US watched the British in Suez. But the US might start something and that’s how they’ll discover they are the just the last of the failed empires.

Pretty sure the current administrations end game here is copying North Korea. The rich have enough oil in Texas to perpetuate their lifestyle, while violently suppressing all opposition.