As sinophobic and geopolitically ignorant as the average American is, imo most Americans would probably not support a direct military engagement against China given the immense failures of US intervention in the Arab world. Proxy war? Ukraine has shown that Americans will go along with a conflict that involves another country's soldiers fighting in place of American soldiers, but I think most would still be against a war with China using American troops.
Plus, neoliberalism has wreaked havoc on the US's ability to mobilize the country for a great power conflict. The government is the most unpopular it has ever been. A reorienting of the economy a la the New Deal is unlikely, and imposing a draft would likely lead to immense civil conflict.
Anything could happen obviously. A truly visceral false flag attack could alter public support. But to me, it feels like the US is more likely to escalate the existing war against its own populace while goading other countries to fight its battles internationally.
As sinophobic and geopolitically ignorant as the average American is, imo most Americans would probably not support a direct military engagement against China given the immense failures of US intervention in the Arab world. Proxy war? Ukraine has shown that Americans will go along with a conflict that involves another country's soldiers fighting in place of American soldiers, but I think most would still be against a war with China using American troops.
Plus, neoliberalism has wreaked havoc on the US's ability to mobilize the country for a great power conflict. The government is the most unpopular it has ever been. A reorienting of the economy a la the New Deal is unlikely, and imposing a draft would likely lead to immense civil conflict.
Anything could happen obviously. A truly visceral false flag attack could alter public support. But to me, it feels like the US is more likely to escalate the existing war against its own populace while goading other countries to fight its battles internationally.