SOUND OFF!

Recently Mike Pezzullo, a senior Australian security official, expressed concerns that the drums of war are beating in the Asian Pacific. China and the United States have been rattling their sabres a lot lately. China threatens Taiwan, while the USA tries to protect its interests and its allies. Some say there is no need to be alarmed, while others say there is good reason to duck and cover.

What if the USA and China duked it out? A war would be disastrous for both sides. Even if the US won, we would be devastated economically as well as financially; and with both China and the US in tatters another country could wade in and become Top Dog.

If armed hostilities did break out, we would not be alone. We have numerous allies, many of whom have beefs with China. Japan, South Korea, India and Australia would almost certainly support us, as would Canada, most of Europe, and some Southeast Asian countries. China could not count on much help – Russia may take China’s side, or sit back with some popcorn and watch the show. However, having friends along will not make fighting any easier, and could result in more destruction and carnage.

Asian-Americans, especially those of Chinese extraction, would be in big trouble. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused hate crimes against Asian Americans to spike. If we went toe-to-toe with the Middle Kingdom, hatred for Chinese-Americans would increase drastically. “Made in China” would become an anathema. Nut jobs would target not just Chinese immigrants and people of Chinese descent, but also their businesses. The recent slaying of six Asian women in the Atlanta area reveals just how violent anti-Asian hatred can get. Remember how Japanese-Americans were rounded up and herded into concentration camps during World War II.

War would be bad news all around no matter who won. War is just about as ecologically unfriendly as you can get, even if you deploy tanks and fighter jets that run on sunshine and unicorn farts, and all of your weapons fire biodegradable ordnance. As the old hippie saying goes, war is not healthy for children and other living things. Tens or hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, would be dead – combatants and civilians alike. Cities and towns would be reduced to ruins. Some animal species may be driven over the brink of extinction. And there is always the looming threat of nuclear war.

Let us hope that cool, rational heads will prevail. Let us hope that both Biden and Xi realize a war between these two powerful countries could have no real winner – victory would be Pyrrhic for either side. We should be cooperating with China to combat the threat that hangs over us all, namely, climate change, which could turn out to be more devastating than any non-nuclear war. The evidence is overwhelming that our planet is getting hotter, and human activity is causing the lion’s share. Just because China has a horrible, oppressive government does not mean we cannot work with Beijing to save the planet. The benefits will be mutual – and for all of humanity.

War is costly. Peace is priceless.