China Syndrome

U.S. and Malaysian naval forces war gaming recently in the South China Sea / Navy photo by Katerine Noll

U.S. Marine Corps and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency amphibious assault vehicles launched from the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) conduct an amphibious landing exercise in support of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Malaysia 2011 in the South China Sea June 13, 2011. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia to strengthen relationships and enhance force readiness. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Katerine Noll, U.S. Navy/Released)

It’s plain China is our Next Big Enemy. All the experts say so. And even if it isn’t, we have to prepare for war with it in case it comes true. Yum! The self-licking ice cream cone never tasted so good.

So folks are marshalling arguments either to support or knock that notion. Here’s a handy list from the American Enterprise Institute that warns of embracing what China expert Dan Blumenthal calls his “top 10 unicorns” – fantasies, in other words — of U.S. policy toward China:

…unlike unicorns, our China policy excursions into the realm of make believe could be dangerous. Crafting a better China policy requires us to identify what is imaginary in our thinking about China.

Check out his list here.