At Forbes analyst Anders Corr outlines the case for war with China:
Defensive military options short of war, such as naval blockades and acquisition of nuclear weapons by Japan and South Korea, entail risk of uncontrollable escalation into military confrontation. So, states considering these risky steps should consider whether such risk of war is justified.
Just war theory finds that states have a responsibility to protect the territory of their citizens, uphold international law, and defend justice. Wars should have a just cause, be the last resort, have right intentions, possess a reasonable chance of success, and have a means proportional to the end.
Consider one example — China’s continued occupation of Mischief Reef, which is in the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as recognized by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Philippines has an obligation to defend the territory of its citizens, such as maritime territory , so should do that to the best of its ability, including by requesting assistance from the U.S., its treaty ally. This satisfies just war theory’s recognition of the responsibility of the state to protect its citizens and territory.
Dr. Corr misstates the requirements for just war somewhat. Just cause alone is insufficient. For a war to be just the war must be waged with a just authority and by just means as well. Waging war without United Nations Security Council approval, which would clearly not be forthcoming, without Congressional approval, and without exigent circumstances, e.g. in the absence of an imminent threat, would not be just. Nuking Beijing would not be just.
And war must always be a last resort.
IMO there are many, many steps which should be taken before going to war with China. Among them are removing China’s Most Favored Nation trading status and spearheading a movement to oust China from the World Trade Organization. China has never lived up to the requirements under which it was admitted to the WTO and, as I have documented here, the record of the claims filed against it is a clear indication that China is unwilling to live up to WTO standards.
At this point in a war between Trump and China, I’m with China.
Let me be on record stating that few in the military want to go to war with China over some reef claimed by the Philippines. That is a red herring. The FP establishment doesn’t care about Filipino claims, it cares about boxing China in to prevent it from competing with the US for influence in the western Pacific, despite the long-term concern about our ability to support regional allies.