Sources from Warsaw stated that the former commander of the US Army in Europe warned Wednesday that it's very likely the United States will be at war with China in 15 years. Meanwhile the retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges said that European allies will have to do more to ensure their own defenses in face of a resurgent Russia because America will need to focus more attention on defending its interests in the Pacific.
Hodges told a packed room at the Warsaw Security Forum, a two day gathering of leaders and military and political experts from central Europe "The United States needs a very strong European pillar and he thinks in 15 years it's not inevitable but it is a very strong likelihood that we will be at war with China". He added "The United States does not have the capacity to do everything it has to do in Europe and in the Pacific to deal with the Chinese threat".
Furthermore despite shifting geopolitical priorities, Hodges said the US commitment to NATO remains "unshakable." Accordingly he said he is certain the Trump administration views Europe's security as a key US interest even though President Donald Trump has sometimes questioned the Western military alliance's usefulness. He added "So you are going to see us continue to invest here in Europe, continue to train, to practice rotational forces, as well as permanently assign forces for the eventuality that in 10 or 15 years we're going to be having to fight in the Pacific”.
