Beyond advanced military capabilities, a vibrant US economy ultimately may be the best weapon in deterring China, according to a RAND paper. “It is often said that a strong economy is the basis of a strong defense. In the case of China, a strong US economy is not just the basis for a strong defense, it is itself perhaps the best defense against an adventurous China,” states Conflict with China: Prospects, Consequences, and Strategies for Deterrence. The two nations’ economies are linked in a manner “unparalleled in history,” state the authors. “This mutual dependency can be an immensely powerful deterrent, in effect a form of mutually assured economic destruction,” they write. They add, “At the moment, the balance of advantage rests with the United States, but even the winner in such a contest will wish it had been avoided.” It’s important that “the balance of dependency does not shift too heavily against the United States” in coming decades, they warn.
Dick Cheney’s Legacy with the Air Force
Nov. 6, 2025
Dick Cheney, who died Nov. 3 at 84, is best remembered by most Americans as among the most powerful Vice Presidents in history, a consummate Washington insider who had previously served in the Nixon administration, was Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford, a Congressman for a decade, and Secretary…
