I think this is a (c) leaning (b), especially given that we’re doing it in public. Remember, the Manhattan Project was a highly-classified effort and we know it by an innocuous name given to it to avoid attention.
Saying publicly, “yo, China, we view this as an all-costs priority, hbu” is a great way to trigger a race with China...
But if it turned out that we knew from ironclad intel with perfect sourcing that China was already racing (I don’t expect this to be the case), then I would lean back more towards (c).
I think this is a (c) leaning (b), especially given that we’re doing it in public. Remember, the Manhattan Project was a highly-classified effort and we know it by an innocuous name given to it to avoid attention.
Saying publicly, “yo, China, we view this as an all-costs priority, hbu” is a great way to trigger a race with China...
But if it turned out that we knew from ironclad intel with perfect sourcing that China was already racing (I don’t expect this to be the case), then I would lean back more towards (c).