Elbridge Colby Quoted in Nikkei Asia

“Even though the U.S. military currently remains stronger than China in global terms, the situation is extremely grave because China’s goal is to resolve the issue before America can bring that power to bear through the fait accompli,” said Elbridge Colby, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy and force development under previous President Donald Trump and later co-founded the Marathon Initiative think tank on great-power competition.

Some American carriers are in maintenance or other parts of the world, Colby noted. It could take weeks for forces deployed outside Asia to reach the region.

“I think what Commander Davidson is clearly saying is that there’s a very serious risk that the U.S. could lose the war against China,” Colby said, adding that “China’s challenge to the balance of power is very severe.”

“Japan is not doing enough,” he said. “Japan should perceive this situation very seriously, as this affects Japan very directly.”

Nikkei Asia