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And what is striking is that, so far, China is effectively defeating the USA as the world leader, piece by piece, without firing a shot.

Or at least, has a golden opportunity window to do so within the next 2/3 years, while Trump/Musk & co are dismantling the country capacity to function.

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And the only weapon required was making a constituency of American ignorance, resentment, and mean-spiritedness.

China has done that by ruling internally with an iron fist and ruling externally with financial influence.

The U.S. is actually trying a play from the same playbook by abstaining from deploying troops.

When was the last time you saw China getting torn apart in the media for failing to prop up a failed state? They're doing "greenfield" diplomacy without historical baggage.

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