EVEN BIDEN'S GUY IS SOUNDING THE ALARM ON CHINA – OVERNIGHT:  Is there awokeness in the president's house?  Do the big shots finally understand that China is a threat?  The triggering word is "Taiwan."  From Fox: 

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Saturday that China's increased military activity near Taiwan seemingly indicates a "rehearsal" of the country's future intentions.

Austin made his comment during a keynote discussion with Fox News anchor Bret Baier at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California.

Pointing out how China has been launching multiple air operations near Taiwan in recent months, Baier asked Austin, "Do you think that these are training flights for future operations?"

Austin noted that he didn't want to speculate, but said, "Certainly, it looks like them exploring what their true capabilities [are], and sure, it looks like rehearsal."

Austin also affirmed U.S. dominance in the Pacific, telling Baier, "China is not 10 feet tall."

"America is a Pacific power," Austin said. "The Indo-Pacific is a region of great opportunity and real challenges. One of those challenges is the emergence of an increasingly assertive and autocratic China."

The Reagan Forum, which comes as China and Russia continue to build up aggressive defenses not seen since World War II, included remarks by foreign policy experts and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who argue that the Biden administration's foreign policy has diminished U.S. standing on the world stage.

"We’re facing a formidable challenge," the defense chief said. "In war and in peace we are always stronger when we work together with our friends."

COMMENT:  China covets Taiwan.  The United States is, oh, kinda sorta committed to defend Taiwan.  But China sees a weak, divided America, and that is a prescription for war, not peace.  Our policies won't improve until The Democrats are driven from power, and that day may be a long way off.

But we can improve things to some degree by electing a Republican Congress is 2022.

December 4, 2021