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![ConservaWonk Avatar](https://lunarcrush.com/gi/w:24/cr:twitter::17351088.png) Greg R. Lawson [@ConservaWonk](/creator/twitter/ConservaWonk) on x 3033 followers
Created: 2025-07-26 17:51:47 UTC

And this is where the free market does have breakdowns.


China strategically recognized how critical rare earths are and sought to get a chokehold on them in the 1980s and especially 90s.   They flood the market, bankrupt private business & then claim the strategic high ground.

Without significant, and long-term, government backing China can shoot an arrow into our Achilles' heel whenever it wants to.

Yes, dereg, especially moving away from onerous environmental regs, is a key piece.  But it is insufficient.

This is what a world defined by the ever present possibility of great power war looks like.  Geopolitics assumes the most critical position in our national strategy, or, should it not, we will fumble away our superpower status.

![](https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1949040030535614464/2ML99o2d?format=jpg&name=800x419)

XXX engagements

![Engagements Line Chart](https://lunarcrush.com/gi/w:600/p:tweet::1949165766374244565/c:line.svg)

**Related Topics**
[longterm](/topic/longterm)
[china](/topic/china)
[$2651t](/topic/$2651t)
[greg](/topic/greg)

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