Eagle Sauce: The 055 destroyer was launched into the sea just after the founding of the country?

The meeting ended in a depressing and tense atmosphere.

The generals left with deep concern, for they knew better than anyone the enormous risks of engaging in a total war with the Dragon Kingdom.

The MPs, with even more complicated feelings, gathered in groups of three or four, talking in low voices.

In a luxurious cigar club on Capitol Hill that is not open to the public, several congressmen from California, military generals close to them, and several unnamed consortium representatives gathered secretly.

The room was filled with smoke and expensive whiskey swirled in crystal glasses, but no one was in the mood to taste it.

Their faces were filled with solemnity and worry.

"Everyone, you've all heard the president's decision,"

Johnson, a senior California senator and a member of the board of directors of a large technology company, spoke first, his voice low and magnetic.

"All-out war with the Dragon Nation. What are your thoughts on this?"

General Michaels, a four-star general in the Air Force who was in charge of logistics support for the Pacific theater, was the first to shake his head. He took off his glasses and rubbed his tired brows.

"From a purely military perspective, this is an extremely risky, even suicidal, decision."

"The Dragon Kingdom is not the Sakura Kingdom of the past. They possess a powerful nuclear deterrent, sophisticated conventional weapons that we do not yet fully understand, and a vast and highly mobilizable war potential."

"Even if we fight a total war with them and ultimately win a bitter victory, the Eagle Sauce will be severely weakened and will completely lose its position as a global hegemon."

"What's more, we have no confidence in winning at all."

"I agree with Michaels,"

Another congressman named Hansen said that his family owns a large number of farms and multinational trading companies in California.

"War is not only a military battle, but also an economic one. Going to war with Longguo now would be a devastating blow to our California economy."

He took out a data report and distributed it to everyone present.

"Look at these data. More than 30% of California's electronic components, 40% of its textiles, and even 50% of its furniture are imported from the Dragon Country."

"If war breaks out, these supply chains will be completely disrupted. Our factories will stop working, our stores will close, and countless people will lose their jobs."

A well-dressed representative of a consortium representing the interests of Silicon Valley's high-tech industry also spoke, his tone filled with anxiety.

"More importantly, rare earths! All our high-tech industries, from chips to missiles, are inseparable from rare earths."

"Currently, over 80% of the world's rare earth supply is controlled by Longguo. If they cut off the supply, our entire high-tech industry chain will be paralyzed! What will we use to fight them?"

"That's right!" Congressman Hansen slammed his hand on the table, a little excited. "Once a war breaks out with Dragon Nation, it won't matter if a few ordinary soldiers and civilians die. There are plenty of them, and we can always recruit more."

"But none of our goods can be imported! What will happen to our factory?"

"Where does our profit come from? That's a loss of real money!"

He looked around at everyone and said, almost gritting his teeth, "Don't forget, we want to do business with Longguo!"

This sentence was like a key, instantly opening the most secret conversation box in the hearts of everyone present.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became more realistic and explicit.

"Hansen is right," Senator Johnson nodded slowly, a businessman's shrewdness glint in his eyes. "War will do us no good. Our relationship with Dragon Nation should be one of cooperation and competition, not a life-and-death confrontation."

"We can contain them through trade wars and technology wars, but an all-out war is absolutely unacceptable. It would destroy all our businesses."

General Michaels sighed, "We all understand the logic. However, President Howell is no longer willing to listen to any advice."

"The disastrous defeat in Yugoslavia has completely driven him mad. All he thinks about now is revenge and war."

"Then let him step down!" a young congressman said excitedly.

"Step down? How?" Senator Johnson sneered. "The Eagle Sauce has entered a wartime state. According to the Constitution, we cannot force him to step down through normal impeachment procedures."

"Also, don't forget, what is the public opinion in the country right now? It's revenge! It's toughness! Public sentiment has been incited by those damn media."

"If we force a 'wartime president' to step down now, we will only be regarded as traitors and cowards by the people!"

Silence fell again in the room. Neither this nor that would work.

Are they just going to watch this madman Howell tie the entire country, all their lives and property, to a chariot and rush into the abyss of destruction?

Just when everyone was at a loss, a retired general from the Army Special Operations Command, code-named "Ghost", who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke in a low voice.

"Since conventional political means don't work," his voice was hoarse and cold, as if devoid of any emotion, "then why don't we consider some...unconventional means?"

Everyone's eyes were focused on him.

General Ghost poured himself a glass of whiskey and swirled it gently, a chilling glint flashing in his eyes. "It's not like there haven't been precedents in our history."

"When a president's actions seriously threaten the national interest and cannot be removed through legal procedures..."

He paused, glanced at everyone present, and spoke word by word.

"Is it possible... to imitate what Lincoln did..."

Although he didn't finish his words, everyone present understood the meaning of his words.

Lincoln was assassinated during his term...