Sure. If US leaders had sense, they wouldn’t engage adversaries they can’t beat. I’m not saying China will start this war. I’m saying China doesn’t need to. China can just watch it happen. Like the US watched the British in Suez. But the US might start something and that’s how they’ll discover they are the just the last of the failed empires.

Pretty sure the current administrations end game here is copying North Korea. The rich have enough oil in Texas to perpetuate their lifestyle, while violently suppressing all opposition.