>If by defensive you mean isolationist, both WW1 and WW2 were started because of US isolationism, and ended when the US became offensive and occupied Europe and Japan
This is a truly impressive level of American exceptionalism. Wars only start if we let them, and then stop when we take an interest.
>However, the CCP and Islam are ideologies that believe they can win against the West. Xi is doubling their nuclear weapon count from 200 to 400, and nuclear technology is proliferating throughout the Islamic world.
Pakistan is the only Islamic nuclear power with no other country actively attempting to become one. Iran's "program" has always been overblown, and at best would not enable an offensive war.
Meanwhile, China's doubling should take into account the US's 6000 weapons, 3000 active, and I think still growing. China's program is still primarily defensive as well.
>Mao started a cold war against the US in the 1950s, which the US never took seriously until now, "Hide our strength, bide our time." And Xi is using Mao's playbook.
The US refused to acknowledge China's existence until the 70's, and are the ones that barred most of the world from trading with China. Even in the Korean War, the United States invaded before China got involved.
Much of the rest of your post is also drawn straight from US propaganda. Other countries do things out of their own self interest, not out of some desire to attack America.
> Wars only start if we let them, and then stop when we take an interest.
The US wasn't always a powerful military force. It became this way after WWII.
So no, it wasn't the case then, but yes, it is pretty much the case today. Every country knows that they cannot win a traditional war against the US - so the OPs point is correct here. It's just lucky that the US is not imperialistic. Imagine if China was the most powerful militarily.
There was certainly a cold war between the two nations via other conflicts. If it's a question of who was the initial aggressor, that's hard to say because there was no direct conflict.
>It's just lucky that the US is not imperialistic. Imagine if China was the most powerful militarily.
Another jaw dropping example of American exceptionalism. Look at your link, notice how we call the start of the PRC the "loss of China?" Any country not under our economic and political dominion is labeled the enemy
> If by defensive you mean isolationist, both WW1 and WW2 were started because of US isolationism, and ended when the US became offensive and occupied Europe and Japan.
