Reading about the close encounters of the perilous kind between U.S. and Chinese naval warships in the South China Sea, where China is seeking to achieve dominance, I could not help but think of how much closer we would be to war with China if Donald Trump were president and commander in chief.
One false move between Chinese and U.S. warships in that contested sea could bring war between two nuclear-armed colossi. Avoiding war requires great patience and self-discipline to avoid overly provocative behavior, and surely the wise path is to strive hard to avoid going to war with China over the South China Sea.
The idea of Donald Trump being in control of U.S. foreign and military policy is the stuff of nightmares. Yet so many Americans cheer him on. It could almost make one despair of U.S. democracy.
Emmett Barcalow
Amherst