If the United States forswore the ability to attack targets on the Chinese mainland that were materially involved in the war, it would gravely weaken its ability to defend Taiwan; treating them as off-limits would also only raise questions about US seriousness and resolve. This is not to say that these strikes need to be indiscriminate or even expansive. To the contrary, any strikes on the Chinese mainland should follow a clearly elucidated logic. For instance, the United States could make clear by both its official statements and the deeds of its forces that the defenders would strike
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