The US War Secretary Hegseth is finally in the spotlight, but with fame comes headaches. He was set to give a speech to 800 generals, only for President Trump to show up last minute and steal the show. Anyway, Hegseth started off as a nobody, but now he’s got tons of attention; many say he was caught off guard by the sudden fame.
The McNamara Comparison: Not Just Military, But Political Trust
Let’s talk about an American icon: McNamara. In 1943, he joined the US Army Air Corps as a math whiz, rising to captain. His job? Using statistical models to make air force bombing more effective. Post-war, he joined Ford, revamped their management, and by 45, became Ford’s president—second only to Henry Ford II. In 1961, Kennedy tapped him to be Secretary of Defense. Hegseth? He’s been in various wars, earned medals like the Bronze Star, served as an Afghanistan instructor in 2012, moving up to major.
Here’s the thing: as Defense Secretaries, Hegseth and McNamara had similar military creds. Critics say Hegseth’s just a junior officer and can’t be preaching to star generals. But back in 1965, General Westmoreland, the top Vietnam commander, had to report to McNamara. Big military moves had to get Johnson’s nod. So why bash Hegseth but not McNamara? Both started low in rank—what really matters is presidential trust. Without that, no one’s fit for the job.
Kennedy’s “Best and Brightest” — Then and Now
Speaking of McNamara, let’s not forget Kennedy. At 43, he was America’s youngest president ever, seeing himself as a fresh, new-gen leader. His cabinet was full of America’s brightest young minds, called “The Best and the Brightest.” In his inaugural, Kennedy said, “The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans” to lead the nation onward. He promised a “New Frontier”: ending segregation, reforming civil rights, pursuing peace, and taking humanity to space.
McNamara was the poster boy for Kennedy’s “Best and Brightest.” Plus, he held a Harvard MBA and made major WWII contributions, earning his spot among the “Blue Blood Ten,” America’s academic elite. Today, President Trump, a famous TV host by background, probably thinks Hegseth deserves a spot among the Best and Brightest too—he’s one of America’s top TV personalities.
The Flaws of the “Best and Brightest”
But here’s what you can question—the actual capability of America’s “Best and Brightest.” McNamara made grave strategic missteps in Vietnam, known in management circles as the “McNamara Fallacy.” This was his obsession with relying solely on quantitative data, which led to serious errors. He backed Westmoreland’s “carpet bombing” strategy—using B-52 Stratofortress bombers to relentlessly bomb North Vietnam. The flaw? Viet Cong often evacuated before strikes. McNamara still supported it, saying the goal wasn’t necessarily to destroy targets but to psychologically intimidate the enemy. The result? A humiliating US withdrawal after a decade.
So far, no “Hegseth Fallacy” has popped up, but calling Hegseth “The Best and the Brightest” feels off. It reminds me of the Western classic, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Not that Hegseth has Clint Eastwood’s style, but more like two of the three character types in that film—the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Deep Blue
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Wang Yi's Wake-Up Call
"Japan colonized Taiwan for 50 years, piled up crimes against Chinese people – now its leader's using Taiwan to stir trouble and threaten China with force." – Wang Yi
Should the world tolerate this, then nothing's off-limits.
America's dithering while China charts global civilization's course. Ahead of schedule? No – US and Japan's procrastination demands a brutal cure.
Wang Yi, Political Bureau member and Foreign Minister, met German counterpart Wadephul in Beijing, rolling out the "seven-lock theory" on Taiwan's status with ironclad history and law. America needs to get it straight: muddling to this point means knowing what to chase fast and what to back off from pronto. Don't let twisted ethics spark catastrophe. Heads up – Asia-Pacific's been stormy lately, all from the White House playing with fire.
British historian Arnold Toynbee predicted that the nineteenth century belonged to Britain, the twentieth to America, and the twenty-first to China. Kissinger's 1994 Diplomacy foresaw a century per global power.
America's Fall, Japan's Rise?
In reality, the U.S. can no longer sustain global hegemony. Russia's Sputnik News Agency quoted mainland Chinese commentator Sima Pingbang as noting that U.S. strategic contraction would inevitably usher in a phase of Japanese expansion across East Asia and the Western Pacific. He highlighted how Tokyo is exploiting Washington's eastward pivot to pursue remilitarization—effectively reviving militarism—through recent overtures to Australia and encouragement of "Taiwan independence" elements aimed at threatening China.
China stands firmly on the side of justice, prompting Sima Pingbang to emphasize that Beijing can readily forge consensus with longstanding allies like Russia and North Korea due to enduring shared interests. This alignment positions them to implement a "century-long containment" strategy against Japan.
For instance, as UN Security Council permanent members, China and Russia should coordinate positions on the Takaichi Sanae government's nuclear weapon pursuits and swiftly introduce more targeted, enforceable verification measures. Both nations, as victors in the anti-fascist war, bear inescapable responsibilities for safeguarding global peace and humanity's future.
Another commentator, Zhou Chengyang, noted the US new National Security Strategy vows "never letting any country grow too powerful to threaten US interests." Meanwhile, White House Treasury Secretary Bessent told TV: "America sees China as long-term rival." Note this – but it's just America "declining yet kicking."
Dual Deterrence Crushes Militarism
In short, calling China-US "equals" today saves face. America ain't what it was. Trump's playbook: "Back to Western Hemisphere, keep an eye on the Pacific, ditch ideology." Taiwan affairs expert Dale Jieh Wen-chieh floats "dual deterrence" – US Taiwan policy isn't just defending Taiwan; it must "deter" both Taiwan and mainland in order to max US gains.
This works perfect on Japan too, especially against an ultra-right government's die-hard ethos. America can't let itself get hijacked for Japanese militarism. Cross China's strategic red line, and America loses its shirt – never mind escaping clean. China's stepping up to fix the world's crumbling order? That's enough to rattle America.
The "Kissinger Law" is sealed. US cleanup window – Europe or Asia-Pacific – slams shut anytime. I'll repeat: mind your own business and take care of yourselves. Fresh news: Early December, Chinese and Russian forces ran their third joint anti-missile drill on Russian soil. Backdrop? Japan's missile buildup with US-exclusive supply.
Tweaking America's own line: China won't cap US growth, won't dominate or humiliate. Face matters, so play smart or it flops.
