> This article is another in a long line of very scary news about the U.S.-China tensions. I hope diplomacy and peace will prevail eventually.

Write your representatives and ask them to bend the knee!

I disagree with your suggestion that diplomacy is necessarily a form of submission. Peace can still be made while maintaining a position of strength. For example, U.S.-Soviet relations.

Also wanted to add the famous quote attributed to Goering at Nuremberg. https://www.mit.edu/people/fuller/peace/war_goering.html

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."