The Occasional Observer

Build a nuclear submarine fleet and accompanying infrastructure.

Duh.

Why cede the ability to protect your coast and intimidate your neighbors? After all, with the Fed Funds rate at 2%, it's not like saving all those US dollars makes more sense than spending them.

I can gurantee the IRR on a nuclear submarine fleet will be a LOT higher than 2%, when one considers the leverage it will give the Chinese in international negotiations.