Michiganders Will Pay Price for Iran Funding, Says Rep. Haley Stevens

Michigan Democratic Representative Haley Stevens said the war with Iran is an "unacceptable" overreach by the administration that is costing taxpayers a billion dollars a day while food aid and health programs are being cut and gas prices are rising. Stevens also discussed lessening supply chain dependence on China, as the war pushes allies to find alternate sources of energy and trade.

China’s military has been studying President Donald Trump’s war on Iran for lessons that could prove helpful in any future conflict of its own, according to Western officials familiar with the matter, scrutinizing US offensive capabilities as it sees the strategic balance shifting in its favor in the Indo-Pacific.

Beijing was likely closely observing America’s military performance on display in Iran and gaining highly valuable information that it would almost certainly factor into its plans for any potential conflict over Taiwan, said the officials, who requested anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter. Taiwan is a self-governing island that China claims as its territory — a view Taipei rejects.

China’s Ministry of Defense didn’t reply to a request for comment.

While China is still gaming out the economic and diplomatic consequences of the war, President Xi Jinping would probably welcome the diversion of US attention and resources toward the Middle East and away from the Indo-Pacific, the officials said. They cited the Pentagon’s redeployment of military assets from Asia to Iran as a tangible reason for China’s military to draw positives from the conflict.

The perceived advantage for China’s military suggests a second US adversary is benefiting from Trump’s war, after US allies warned Russian President Vladimir Putin was inadvertently emerging as the winner thanks to the rising oil price and easing of US sanctions.

In contrast to most other Group of 20 leaders, Xi has so far stayed silent on the conflict engulfing a major Chinese friend, as officials assess the full scale of the fallout from the war. While China has in the past repeatedly said Taiwan must be brought under its control, by force if necessary, Beijing hasn’t indicated it’s preparing to do so any time soon.

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