Is economic interdependence between rival nations a genuine safeguard against military conflict, or just a fragile assumption that breaks down when political tensions escalate? I remember reading about trade volumes between the US and China reaching over $600 billion annually, yet their strategic rivalry keeps intensifying. It makes me wonder if the 'peace through commerce' theory still holds any weight in a world where supply chains get weaponized. Could it be that the real lesson is we need stronger international institutions to manage these dependencies before they turn into vulnerabilities?