The United States could face Russia and China if it was at war with one of them (officials)

• If the United States goes to war with Russia or China, it may have to confront both adversaries at the same time, US intelligence leaders warn.
• Russia and China have developed what they call a “no-holds-barred” partnership.
• The two also conducted a joint military exercise near Taiwan for the first time, according to a US official.

In the event of a conflict with Russia or China, US forces could find themselves pitted against both adversaries because of their “cooperative” partnership, according to recent warnings from senior US intelligence officials.

And the risk that the United States will find itself at war with these rivals is much more likely today than a few years ago, prompting the United States to rethink its thinking and military planning.

During Thursday’s U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on global threats, Avril D. Haines, director of national intelligence, and Lt. Gen. Jeffrey A. Kruse, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, commented on the recent cooperation between Russia and China, noting that it indicated the two could help each other in a war with the United States.

At the hearing, Haines highlighted the connections between the two, from military activities to economics, politics and technology. She added that this prompted the government to undertake new planning “across the board”.

Asked if this dynamic meant the United States should prepare to fight both adversaries at the same time if the conflict started with just one, Haines said it was possible, but that the likelihood “depends on the scenario “. Kruse, however, said that’s a bigger possibility than it was a few years ago.

“Ultimately, if we were to come into conflict with one of them, there’s a good chance we’ll have a second front,” Kruse said.

Kruse also noted that what the Department of Defense has seen in recent years has “caused the department to revisit its analysis and become even more concerned” about the need for joint forces in an environment where Russia and China could support each other in a conflict.

The “limitless” partnership between China and Russia, declared in February 2022 just before Russia invaded Ukraine, is also prompting the Pentagon to shift its thinking about what a potential conflict with either rival would look like.

“We are in the middle of this review today,” Kruse said.

Perhaps one of the most glaring pieces of evidence, beyond China’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and helping Russia evade sanctions, is its long-standing military cooperation with Taiwan. a potential hot spot.

Haines told the Senate committee that Russia and China had conducted Taiwan-related exercises for the first time, highlighting the possibility that if China decided to pursue an invasion or blockade of the island, Russia could become involved.