Bradley Gorham
As the world is still reeling from the nearly three-year-long bloody war in Ukraine, the US is ramping up to prepare for another area of impending global conflict: Taiwan. In 2022, President Xi Jinping announced China’s vision to re-establish firm control of the island by 2030 using any means necessary. Since then, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has increased military preparations and intensified maritime efforts to assert dominance in the South China Sea, highlighting their staunch resolve. The PRC needs a swift takeover of the island, fearing that any delays may lead to a prolonged conflict and extensive US involvement.
Sound familiar? Russia’s initial operation to seize Ukraine and overthrow the government in 10 days quickly collapsed into World War I-style trench warfare without any major gains in the last two years. Undoubtedly, President Xi has been closely monitoring the situation and America’s response throughout the conflict, looking to avoid Russia’s mistakes. While the US is pursuing provocative naval Freedom of Navigation Operations to deter Chinese aggression, it may be missing the opportunity to exploit one of its greatest options for deterrence: Special Operations Forces (SOF).
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