War With China

Retired US Marine Col. Grant Newsham served in the Asia-Pacific region for many years. In the first half, he discussed how war with China is happening now from every angle, and what we can expect next. He outlined the transformation of China from a struggling nation during World War II to a formidable global power, attributing this shift largely to American investment and technological support. He expressed concern over the miscalculation of American leaders, who believed engagement would lead to liberalization, stating, "The Americans were able to convince themselves... that China really wasn't a threat." He described ongoing economic and drug warfare as insidious forms of conflict, remarking that "China has killed a million Americans without firing a shot" through fentanyl, most of which originates from their country.

He warned that losing Taiwan to China would significantly undermine US credibility in Asia, stating, "Every country in Asia... would be wondering just how reliable an ally is the United States." Newsham commented that China is meticulously learning from Russia's mistakes in Ukraine, suggesting that if they attacked Taiwan, they would hit hard and isolate the island nation by cutting off its Internet access. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) views Taiwan as a critical military and psychological target, and he predicted that its fall would prompt other Asian countries to seek favor with China. He further characterized the CCP as primarily about getting and keeping power, and using that to its advantage.