Gallagher's Zombie Militarism

Gallagher’s brand of zombie militarism is far more dangerous and ought to be avoided at all costs.

It will come as no surprise that Rep. Mike Gallagher hates diplomatic engagement, and he’s not afraid to tell us all about it:

This is the trap of zombie engagement. It almost always places the burden of “improving” relations on the U.S. rather than demanding that Beijing adjust its malign behavior. We give up the farm simply to get to the negotiating table. Once we’re there, we’re beholden to an entirely new process of concessions because of the pressure to present “deliverables.” While we build guardrails for ourselves, the Communist Party builds fast lanes to achieve its long-term objectives.

Rep. Gallagher is the chairman of the House’s Select Committee on China, and the committee already has a reputation for relentless fearmongering and threat inflation. The same brittle hardline mentality that has dominated the committee’s proceedings is on display in Gallagher’s op-ed. It is amusing that Gallagher talks about “zombie engagement” when his alternative is the most mindless aggressive posturing that has done so much to bring U.S.-Chinese relations to their lowest point in over forty years.

If you want to talk about a collection of zombie policy ideas, just consider Gallagher’s list of demands for more sanctions, military buildups, and confrontations that have repeatedly failed every time they have been tried. Gallagher’s brand of zombie militarism is far more dangerous and ought to be avoided at all costs.