For instance, after 9/11, the U.S. military refocused away from its Cold War emphasis on preparing for combat against a powerful nation – the Soviet Union – and toward fighting small terrorist and insurgent groups instead.

I mean, we did fight the conventional militaries of, what, three countries in that period? Not comparable in size to the US, and not on par with China, but I feel like that’s a little bit more activity than just “small terrorist and insurgent groups”.