How Will the US Fight China? With Franz-Stefan Gady
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Welcome to Intelligence Squared. I'm your host, Adam Macaulay. In early September, Beijing proudly displayed its burgeoning military prowess with its largest ever Victory Day parade. The tightly choreographed display of poised force captured the world's attention, corroborating a persistent narrative about China's stark and steady military buildup. For some viewers, the display was further evidence of preparations for the country's ultimate aim of seizing the island of Taiwan and expanding its influence throughout the Indo Pacific and beyond.
For years now, America has described China as its pacing threat, and is the source of persistent tension among strategists, scholars, and political commentators alike, convinced that the coming world order will be determined by the winner of an inevitable clash between Washington and Beijing. While the stakes could not be higher, neither could the strategic confusion regarding how a conflict between these two nuclear powers might begin, evolve, and ultimately conclude. At the heart of this puzzle are simple questions how would the US fight China in such a conflict? and what would happen if they did. Thankfully, my guest today, Fran Stefan Ghadi, has spent the last few years asking just those questions.
He's an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security in Washington, D.C., and has conducted field research in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Ukraine. He advises US and European militaries on structural reform and the future of high intensity warfare. And he graciously joins us today to discuss his latest book, How the United States Would Fight China, The Risks of Pursuing a Rapid Victory. Welcome to the show, Franz. Thank you so much for having me.
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