"Let me play this back" President Cass said as she scanned her advisors. "Russia and China are poised to fight over a border dispute and an oil pipeline. If war breaks out, they will need to replace that oil. They expand by taking the Spratly Islands, then take control of the mid-East oil trade route and risk a world war? China fights Russia and takes us and Taiwan on at the same time? None of it makes sense." She took a deep breath. "I have followed China and this is out of character. This could be about oil or property, or both, but my take is it's about something else. Something we've never faced before. As commander-in-chief, I will decide."