ME Instability & the US-China Power Balance

1: How does the escalation of instability in the Middle East affect the global balance of power between the U.S. and China, and what are the secondary implications for stability in the Indo-Pacific?
2: While the U.S. faces a "credibility gap" as a security provider, China acts as a "free rider," leveraging M. Eastern energy and the BRI to bypass Indo-Pacific maritime chokepoints.
3: Escalation in the Middle East profoundly impacts the U.S.-China rivalry across both regions