>the US is able to refocus to the Pacific which is a more strategically relevant area

this was the ostensible narrative for almost a decade but in reality the US has since then, threatened Europe with the annexation of Greenland, invaded Latin America and withdrawn resources from Asia for a war in the Middle East, with energy market consequences worst for America's allies in the Pacific. (Japan depends almost entirely on the Gulf)

This has not been good news for the China hawks in the US, literally as we're discussing this the US president is in China and Taiwan seems to have completely vanished from the agenda. Far from directing resources against China and bolstering democratic nations in Asia the US is now emulating China, withdrawing from Asia to bully its regional neighbors.