Our military is no longer respected

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The most likely scenario is defending Taiwan from an invasion across the Strait of Taiwan. The military is well prepared for this situation.

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Given events in Iraq I have a lot less confidence in this than I once did. Could we win such a conflict without using nukes?

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The Chinese wouldn't blow themselves up.

[Peter666]

The CIA already determined that America would lose a conventional Pacific theatre war with China under the Clinton administration. If anything, the military has gotten more powerful and experienced since then.

[lehighguy]

Agreed. The war generation is dying off and younger people look at anti-Japan rallies in China and get worried.

[lehighguy]

The Iraq war should have further driven down the fact that American air and naval supremacy is unmatched. If we fought a large naval conflict in the Pacific today we would decimate China, it wouldn't even be close. We have more planes, more aircraft carriers, better technology. The problem with Iraq wasn't the destroying the [censored] out of them phase, it was the cleaning up stage.

The better question is WHY are we so obsessed with beating China in a conventional war. Because of nuclear weapons we never fought the Soviets, just as we will never fight the Chinese. Spend all that money on developing infastrastructure and education so that we remain the #1 economy, since all military power stems from economic and technological power.

The military is primarily composed of the lowest common denominator, backed by world beating technology and led by some very clever and experienced top brass. The administration is is simply composed of the lowest common denominator.

In my experience the forces on the ground lack the empathy required to occupy a foreign nation, the top brass are politically constrained from running a conflict as a conflict ought be run, and the administration are out of their depth in trying to keep the war effort palatable to the general public.

However, this is a small part of the puzzle, as the US is in decline in Asia over a wide range of areas. Even Australia, itself a staunch ally, has aligned itself with China on some trade issues - much to the chagrin of Washington.

The Japanese are merely reflecting the emergence and reemergence of a several powerful Asian nations.

[theweatherman]

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just as we will never fight the Chinese.

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This is not true. The cold war was a battle of ideologies, war with china would be one of money. In american history money always wins, always. If it is in the interest of the ruking classes war will come.

[lehighguy]

Until there is a way to defend against nuclear weapons there will NEVER be a war between super powers. Niether side can ever win because of thier existence. You don't start a war you can't win.

As far as economics goes, it would be extremely unprofitable for both sides.