Again and again, America has been tested in the 20th century, coming through it all down to the present day with even greater blessings of liberty and prosperity, with our enduring optimism and steady faith in our common humanity.
If China can heal some of those rifts with a greater focus on rescuing those left behind by the new prosperity, this may in turn take some of the pressure off the government to subsidise export workers through currency management.
Moreover, this conflict has come with a larger cost to the Middle East, as it impedes partnerships that could bring greater security and prosperity and empowerment to ordinary people.