Optimism–Pessimism Drives GOP China Policy

The piece claims the key split in Republican geopolitics isn’t hawk vs. dove but how optimistic or pessimistic you are about U.S. resources and will. Pessimists, citing hard metrics (ships, steel, deficits, PLA mass and missile tech), favor retrenchment or radical reprioritization; optimists back broader commitments and even victory aims. — This lens offers a testable way to predict coalition behavior on Ukraine, Taiwan, and defense posture, shaping how analysts read U.S. resolve and strategy in Asia.