Reddit mentions of Beyond Air–Sea Battle: The Debate over US Military Strategy in Asia (Adelphi Book 444)

So I wrote my thesis paper on Chinese militarization in the South China Sea and while entertaining, I see a lot of issues with his whole assessment, primarily;

1. China and the U.S. have no interest in going to war with each other. The economic devastation to both countries would be so unbelievably vast and widespread that the ability of either country to conduct a long drawn out war (like the one described in the video) is highly suspect. If the U.S. and the U.S.S.R had mutually assured destruction due to nuclear arsenals, the PRC and the US have it due to the level of interconnectivity between their economies. The video describes a conflict spanning months and months, but it's just not realistic.
   
   > Army War College Study #1
   
   > Army War College Study #2
   
   > Neither discusses the economic ties in depth, but they both acknowledge that actual war between the two countries is a horrible idea. For the economic ties, see Debating China. Particularly the sections from Naughton/Yang, Twomey/Hui, and Xinbo/Green.
   
   
2. The possibility for conflict does exist though. There have already been multiple incidents of run ins on the South China Sea, and numerous close calls with the Chinese Coast Guard, Navy, and Airforce. It's possible that one of these conflicts could flare up into a short term 'hot war,' but it'd be in the interests of both countries to shut it down as quickly as possible.
   > Just one of many examples
   
   
3. In the event of a short term conflict, China is sure to have and maintain the upper hand throughout. Their entire military strategy since the late 90's has been Anti Access/Area Denial. A2AD specifically designed to take out US forward basing and operational capabilities. Taking down comms networks and radar systems would be one of the first priorities, thusly further delaying the U.S.'s ability to fully mobilize its forces to the region. The U.S. counter to China's A2AD is the Air Sea Battle Concept. It's fairly complex to get into over reddit, but the gist of it revolves around fast rapid strikes against Chinese C4ISR networks (likely a combined Cyber Command and Ballistic Missile operation) to shut down their ability to target US comms networks. That would enable more conventional forces to occupy the geographic areas needed for precision strikes against mainland targets and those targets in the SCS/ECS.
   
   > Air Sea Battle Concept in depth. Note, this theory hasn't been tested. If the US even possess the capability to shut down Chinese C4ISR networks is debated. RAND published a study on it, but I can't find it in my bookmarks.
   
   Again I want to stipulate that this type of conflict is unlikely, and even if it were to occur I don't see it lasting longer than a few days at the most.
   
   
4. In my opinion, Obama's "Pivot to Asia" has lost.
   
   • The court ruling in the Hague over the summer was justification for the US to continue helping the Philippines and Vietnam in their struggle against the 9-line dash, but it's all been for moot. The newly elected Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed the desire for U.S. forces to leave the Philippines. At the same time, he's started accepting military supplies from the Chinese, announced trade deals and bi-lateral agreements (valued at 13 billion dollars) with the Beijing, and agreed to joint drilling ventures in the contested regions while he simultaneously announced a moratorium on Filipino fishermen returning to the scarborough shoal.
     
   • The TPP had a small chance at economically tieing ASEAN nations to the US and South America instead of China's RCEP FTA, but with Pres. Elect Trump now at the helm the TPP is quite literally dead. This however has not dulled the ambitions of ASEAN or Latin American nations. ASEAN nations are now turning to RCEP and the China controlled AIIB as they slowly recognize the China's dawning hegemony in Asia. Xi Jinping has also announced that he will be looking to S. America. The desire for trade is there, and if the U.S. won't take it, someone will.
     
     EDIT: Wanted to add more sources for some of my information.
     
     

• Anti Access Warfare: Countering A2/AD Strategies. Sam J. Tangredi. Naval Institute Press.
  
  > Discusses A2/AD strategies throughout the history of warfare and how they either failed or were overcome. Discusses China's use of A2/AD strategies in the latter sections of the book.
  
  
• Fire on the Water: China, America, and the Future of the Pacific. Robert Haddick. Naval Institute Press.
  
  > Discusses the rise of a Chinese blue water navy and how the US should counter that threat.
  
  
• The South China Sea: The Struggle for Power in Asia. Bill Hayton. Yale Press.
  
  > Covers the geopolitical dispute over the SCS from historical, legal, resource driven, geostrategic, and military aspects.
  
  
• Red Star Over the Pacific: China's Rise and the Challenge to U.S. Maritime Strategy. Toshi Yoshihara and James R. Holmes. Naval Institute Press.
  
  > Discusses the rise of China with regard to Alfred T. Mahan's sea power theories. Offers comparisons to the Kaiser's rise in Germany.