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The best thing the Obama Administration did for Asia did not happen in Asia. Sure it was important that the president announced the movement of troops to Australia. Equally so was the announcement of the Trans Pacific Partnership which could lead to greater trade liberalization and is a powerful way to tie allies together. Finally the formalization of a trilateral relationship among Japan, India and the United States is a strategically significant move. The problem with these diplomatic strokes is what it always was: how committed is President Obama to doing the hard work of properly resourcing the military requirements of this strategy and taking on his party to pass more free trade agreements?
These policies in Asia are important. But the Obama policies that will have the most significance for Asia happened in the Middle East. However clumsy and half-hearted President Obama either actively contributed to or supported the removal of Middle East dictators. During the Bush years commentators here and in Europe found it convenient to pretend that President Bush's freedom agenda was a radical departure from American foreign policy led by a radical ideologue. Now President Obama, supposedly the anti-Bush, put a stamp on his own freedom agenda. The message to China received by both its dictators and its reformers is that, after exhausting all other options, America stands for freedom.
This a particularly important message from an administration that went out of its way to downplay concern over human rights abuses with China. To my knowledge, while president, Obama has not met with a single Chinese dissident active in China. But with the Arab Spring, despite its convulsions, and the toppling of Muammar al-Qaddafi, with all its uncertainties, Obama has retained the mantle of leader of a liberal world order.
Eventually the peaceful resolution of the Sino-American competition depends on political change in China. While America has limited means to push China toward liberalization, it certainly is not lost on Chinese leaders and citizens, who badly seek the respect of other great nations, that China remains one of the last dictatorships. Perhaps that will be the catalyst for change in China.
Kent Nishimura/Pool via Bloomberg via Getty Images
The stated reasons for invading Iraq were:
1. Saddam helped Al Qaeda,
2. Saddam had WMD,
and the "Freedom Agenda" only adopted after these excuses failed.
Afghanistan was a retaliatory invasion and the Northern Alliance supported it.
Had we note screwed up militarily (assets were moved to Iraq too early), and actually let them govern their own country, it could have turned out far differently.
The Middle East is still part of Asia.
Pres Obama's speech in Cairo during the first months of his new administration established the environment, the mood one could say, for the gelling of the Arab Spring. The ripple effects of the Cairo speech, which have become more like a wave, have impacted East Asia and now Russia.
The thousands year old rule of elites, autocracies and more recently oligarchies is a deeply rooted factor of history which takes many hundreds of years and much effort to overcome in favor of more democratic governments, societies, cultures.
The hundreds of years of kindling and the Herculean efforts of ordinary citizens are beginning to manifest. And we clearly see that the Obama approach is opposite to the Bush approach. I too look forward to Pres Obama's 2nd term so he can pursue his inspirational and liberating policies
In all of history however dictatorship in China is the toughest nut to ckack.
why is NEOCONs so schzio-paranoid obssevie about China
China commie dictatorships can not be defended, but people will forget insult nor injury,
but why is NEOCONS so schziofrantic-obessive about China?
last time China fought was w/ NVA in 1979 briefly, border skirmish w/ India in early 1960s, and early 1950s Korean wars.
China rise last decade mostly due to Communist rulers rent out vast China dirt cheap labor forces. China built up its vast manufacturing facilities w/ its own capital in form of free land, low tax and cheap/vast infrastrucutre projects in exchnage for foreign investment in form of technology, and managment expertise; China owe world nothing. As Japan companies stated long time ago, if Japan don;t get into China, Europe or US will, so they all compete to get into China to capture its vast domestic markets, and vast export potential. China asked for concession of technology transfer, so China can be become self-sufficient SOON ENOUGH.
This is why US media hyping up China threat, currency manipulation, intellectual theft, have no traction nonewhatsoever; any attempt to punish China will result in retaliation.
China owe world nothing. And world does not owe China anything either. China people pay enough already in form of polluted environment, subminimum wage workers exploitation, and depressed currency exchanging for worthless dollars working for next to nothing. Adding insult to injury,
let see the whole world sink into depression, who will get hurt more? right wing or left wing dictatorship makes no difference. You people will get what derserve soon or later for Wall St bailout, and printing more paper money will not lift the economy
Trade war is good for China people!!! may be China will be focusing on cleaning up its environment, expand social safetynet and expand health care for all in China, instead of catering to world corporate interest.
let see for a 16 trillions US national debts rising fast will fare by 2020 with annual 1.6 trillions budget deficits ever rising fast throughout decade , w/ more military expansion, and 35 trillions of unmet social security obligations plus 50 trillions of medicare/medicaid unfulfilled obligations will do to sink a mere 14 trillions economy!!!!
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Trade war is good for China people!!! may be China will be focusing on cleaning up its environment, expand social safety-net and expand drinkingblog health care for all in China, instead of catering to world corporate interest.
Shadow Government is a blog about U.S. foreign policy under the Obama administration, written by experienced policy makers from the loyal opposition and curated by Peter D. Feaver and William Inboden.
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