The Art of Seaborne Humiliation

 CHINA, ENEMIES OF AMERICA, GLOBAL, IRAN TENSIONS  No Responses »
Jun 042010
 

There’s just a chance that, if Israel doesn’t lose its nerve, it could restore a climate of deterrence against seaborne provocations.

Victor Davis Hanson
National Review Online, June 4, 2010

A tiny flotilla of “peace ships” sets out to run an Israeli blockade of the Gaza coast. The Israeli strategy in response is intended to ensure that neither weapons nor terrorists enter the Hamas-held territory, at a time when Hamas is in a virtual war with Israel.

Once the ships neared the coast, the choices were not good. Either the Israelis could allow the ships through, rendering the blockade irrelevant and permitting dozens of unknown persons to enter Gaza, along with unspecified cargos — or the Israelis had to intervene, ensuring that at some point they might have to use force, perhaps against some passengers who were not entirely unarmed. Continue reading »

China PLA officer urges challenging U.S. dominance

 CHINA  No Responses »
Mar 012010
 

Chris Buckley
Reuters, February 28, 2010

BEIJING (Reuters) – China should build the world’s strongest military and move swiftly to topple the United States as the global “champion,” a senior Chinese PLA officer says in a new book reflecting swelling nationalist ambitions.

The call for China to abandon modesty about its global goals and “sprint to become world number one” comes from a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Senior Colonel, Liu Mingfu, who warns that his nation’s ascent will alarm Washington, risking war despite Beijing’s hopes for a “peaceful rise.”

“China’s big goal in the 21st century is to become world number one, the top power,” Liu writes in his newly published Chinese-language book, “The China Dream.” Continue reading »

The Dalai Lama’s White House Meeting

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Feb 222010
 

by Kelley Currie
The Weekly Standard, February 20, 2010

It takes a special talent to aggravate the Chinese government, the White House press corps, and the followers of the Dalai Lama all in one fell swoop. But the Obama administration managed to pull off that trifecta on Thursday with its poor handling of the Dalai Lama’s meeting with the president.

The Chinese always work themselves into high dudgeon over these meetings, and this time was no exception.  The Obama White House thought they could lower the volume of China’s tantrum by trying to keep the meeting “low-key” and private.  The meeting took place in the Map Room (known by female visitors to the White House as that room you go through to get to the ladies room) instead of the Oval Office.  There was no joint public appearance, and the White House press secretary issued a tortured statement expressing support for the preservation of Tibetan culture against some unnamed threat. Continue reading »

China orders retreat from risky assets

 CHINA, ECONOMICS  No Responses »
Feb 102010
 

China has ordered managers of its vast currency reserves to withdraw from risky dollar assets and retreat to core debt guaranteed by the US government, a clear sign that Beijing is battening down the hatches for fresh trouble on global markets.

By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Telegraph.co.uk, February 10, 2010

A Communist Party directive leaked to the Chinese-language edition of the Asia Times said dollar reserves should be limited to US Treasuries or agency mortgage debt such as Freddie Mac that enjoys Washington’s implicit backing.

BNP Paribas said the move has major implications for global risk assets. “The message from Beijing is that we don’t like this environment,” said Hans Redeker, the bank’s currency chief. Continue reading »

China’s debt bomb

 CHINA, ECONOMICS  No Responses »
Feb 082010
 

By ARTHUR HERMAN
New York Post, February 8, 2010

LIFE CHINA WORKERS‘He who pays the piper calls the tune”: That old saying captures perfectly America’s growing dependence on our No. 1 creditor in the world, Communist China.

By their carelessness Congress and the Obama administration are steadily handing over control of America’s economic and financial future to a handful of Chinese officials and generals in Beijing. Those who think the Chinese won’t use that control if they feel they have to are ignoring history — and the Chinese.

The ancient military strategist Sun Tzu said that the best strategy was to render an opponent’s army helpless even before the battle began. America may still have the biggest and best military in the world. Continue reading »

America Rides Off into the Sunset

 CHINA, ENEMIES OF AMERICA, IRAN TENSIONS, PAKISTAN*  No Responses »
Feb 042010
 

The only people excited about the “change” in America’s foreign policy are the world’s bad actors.

by Victor Davis Hanson
National Review Online, February 4, 2010

Ride into sunsetThousands in Tokyo have been echoing Barack Obama’s signature call for “change” — as in “Change Japanese-U.S. relations!”

Our military is rushing anti-missile batteries to Iran’s Arab neighbors in anticipation of new Iranian military escalation.

As in the case of the 2004 Indonesian tsunami, the U.S. both gives the most aid to a devastated Haiti and still seems to receive the most criticism. Continue reading »