Originally posted by Breacher:
[b] China is a total wild card in this, totally, and there are several scenarios on that which nobody is looking at but must be taken seriously because they are all based on current reality:

China splits into regional factions, with an internal revolution going on, breakaway republics have differing foreign policy.

Differing, but not openly opposing Chinese factions make different diplomatic offers to different factions in the US. One such offer made to California is economic aid and free trade status in return for land mass in sovereign areas. Heavy economic development in those areas provides jobs and salvages the economy of the Chinese controlled areas.

With the Chinese come their internal struggles. An opposing Chinese faction makes a diplomatic deal with the Pacific Northwest Alliance. They recognize the area is not an economic basket case and wants to secede from the union anyway. They will provide military aid, weapons, aircraft and heavy equipment in return for again, economic autonomous zones, but they also want to establish a large military base in South Eastern Oregon. Your intel discovers that this Chinese faction opposes the California faction, but will not openly fight them in China.

The Beijing government them moves to openly threaten the political leadership of both Chinese factions which have established a foothold in the US, major internal strife in the Chinese Communist party will determine whether or not the pre-positioned Chinese forces begin fighting each other, act as a unified invasion force, or train here while fighting each other for land mass inside China. All are entirely possible.

Alaska wants to declare nationhood, international oil corporations are backing it due to the Alaska Nation doing away with several restrictive federal regulations on oil drilling and harvest of other natural resources. The Russian diplomats move in, start agitating not just for the Alaskan Sovereignty, but that should the Alaskan nation move to annex Northwestern Canada, the Russians will provide foreign aid and payment. They initially support a peaceful referendum process in Northwestern Canada, to give the regional residents the option of a civilized divorce from the far away rule of the Canadian government. Texas and Russian Oil Tycoons start heading to Alaska, duking it out oil mafia style over who gets control of the worlds most valuable oil reserves.