Then why is it clear to everyone in the SCS that it is China who is acting aggressively? There is
zero chance that America would
ever attack China unprovoked. There is a far, far, greater chance that Chinese nationalist expansionism against America's Asian allies may result in the outbreak of war.
...and THAT statement proves my point
"in spades" as to the nature of arrogant Chinese expansionism and exposes the falsehood of your first statement about it being a "defensive war" on China's part.
I don't know what you mean by "turn down" but if war comes between the US and China, it most certainly would be catastrophic for both countries which is why it would be the highth of idiocy for China to start one. You certainly don't think America would just invade the Chinese mainland unprovoked, do you?
Read through
any similar thread on this forum and one can see clearly it is the Chinese who are becoming more and more nationalist and expansionist. While America seeks to transfer more responsibility for regional security to our allies. Even if war were to break out, America would never invade the Chinese mainland. It would be almost entirely a naval and air war in the South China Sea.