From ancient trade routes to modern global networks, supply chains have shaped the rise and fall of empires. Now, as America confronts its greatest strategic challenge since the Cold War, understanding these economic arteries has never been more critical to national survival.

In Entrenched, Elly Rostoum delivers a masterwork of historical analysis and strategic insight that traces the evolution of global supply chains from their origins in Mesopotamian trade networks through the colonial extraction systems, the Industrial Revolution's vertical integration, to today's hyper-connected global economy. This groundbreaking research reveals how China has systematically moved from the periphery of global commerce to becoming so deeply entrenched in supply chains that attempting to decouple risks economic catastrophe.

Breaking decisively away from the conventional wisdom of Washington's policy apparatus, Rostoum exposes the dangerous fallacy underlying America's decoupling and derisking strategies. Through rigorous analysis and unprecedented access to supply chain data, this book demonstrates why blanket bans and broad economic restrictions represent a fundamental misunderstanding of how modern commerce actually operates—and why such misguided policies threaten to hand China the very dominance America seeks to prevent.

As we enter an era of renewed great power competition and emerging bipolarity between the United States and a rising China, Entrenched sounds an urgent alarm that Washington can no longer ignore. Rostoum's sober analysis cuts through political rhetoric to reveal the harsh realities of economic interdependence, showing how China's strategic patience and systematic approach to supply chain integration has created dependencies that cannot be wished away through policy declarations.

But this is not a counsel of despair. Entrenched makes a compelling case for a new kind of engagement with China—one based on surgical, tactical policy prescriptions rather than blunt-force economic warfare. Rostoum argues that forceful, even coercive engagement, when properly targeted and strategically implemented, can protect American interests while acknowledging economic realities.

Most critically, Entrenched charts a path toward an American renaissance through massive reinvestment in domestic R&D capabilities and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Only by rebuilding America's innovative edge and manufacturing base can the United States compete effectively in the supply chain battlegrounds that will determine 21st-century supremacy.

This is essential reading for policymakers, business leaders, and anyone seeking to understand the economic foundations of global power in an age of strategic competition. As China's influence grows and traditional alliances face new strains, Entrenched provides the roadmap America needs to navigate the supply chain revolution and ensure that the 21st century remains the American century.