Recently, a younger friend told me “It doesn’t make sense.” We were discussing PRC extensive investments that bolster and pre-position its capabilities to crash US infrastructure systems and smash supply chains that sustain our lives. Our exposed structures include those that provide reliable electricity and potable water, logistic networks that deliver components for military capabilities, and consumer products, even critical medicinal and medical inventories that stock our pharmacies and hospitals.

My friend’s work makes him aware of extensive US investments that build up Chinese infrastructure and integrate their supply chains constructively. This makes economic sense. It raises livelihoods for individuals and profits for companies. Economically, it makes no sense for US leadership to allocate capital to destroying capital investments that yield positive returns.

Economically, it makes no sense for the Communist Party to allocate capital to destroying capital. Unless the Communist Party plans to go to war. Democratic processes limit US political leaders spending money on wars that may never happen. Xi Jinping, in contrast, rattles the sabers of war without the restraint that democracies demand.