[OzarkSailor]

“but it wouldn’t shock me at all to find those two at war by year’s end.”

You forgot to add us, the US, to that war.

[lentulusgracchus]

“but it wouldn’t shock me at all to find those two at war by year’s end.”

You forgot to add us, the US, to that war.

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Yes, we've been Japan's guarantor for years, and now it looks like a situation might arise in which we'll be required to cash that check, both for regional security and freedom of the seas.

The Chinese keep claiming broad sea areas, including the water columns, a concept that would close a lot of narrow waterways and choke off sea lanes of commerce in many areas of the world, if the Chinese claims are honored or enforced successfully.