The Financial Times recently ran a headline that raised eyebrows due to its provocative nature: “US Navy Seal unit that killed Osama bin Laden trains for China invasion of Taiwan.” In the article, it was stated that “Seal Team 6,” the elite US Navy commando unit responsible for killing Osama bin Laden in 2011, has been training for missions to help Taiwan if invaded by China. The team has been planning and training for a potential conflict for over a year at Dam Neck, its headquarters located in Virginia Beach.
The article goes on to admit that this could be more typical training for repelling an amphibious assault landing of PLA forces on Taiwan’s shores, which would not at all primarily be fought by a small Seal team, no matter how elite. The US national security state appears to already be in search of its next war even as two are still raging. Washington is actively participating in both the Ukraine and Gaza wars by proxy – but neither is going very well.
CIA Director William Burns has consistently stated that China poses a far bigger long-term threat to the United States than Russia. The CIA’s budget has been doubled over the past three years as part of preparations to take on China, and efforts have involved the recruitment of more Mandarin speakers, as well as stepping up efforts across the world to compete with China in Latin America, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific.
It’s interesting that amid everything now happening in Ukraine and Kursk, CIA chief William Burns appeared to brush off the Putin threat while warning that the threat Xi poses is on a global level. Some analysts have warned that a newly passed Congressional anti-China bill will result in a coming barrage of hawkish China/Taiwan-focused media stories, possibly funded by the $1.6 billion allocated for delivering anti-China propaganda overseas.
While the US may be preparing for its next war, it is essential to critically examine the implications and consequences of such actions. With the threat from terror groups receding, special operations forces have joined the rest of the US military in intensifying their focus on China. However, this shift could lead to more “great power competition,” potentially resulting in further conflict and strained international relations.
