“This is billions of dollars of combat advantage for China,” a senior military official not authorized to speak on the record told Post reporters. “They’ve just saved themselves 25 years of research and development.”
When we owe China as much money as we do, we cannot negotiate with strength when the inevitable struggle occurs on that side of the globe. Should a robust and nimble military be necessary, if even for the presence of strength, profligate spending prevents us from funding one.
God help us.
“Government officials blame unfair competition from China for the collapse of solar panel manufacturer Solyndra, but such concerns didn’t stop the federal government from breaking stimulus program rules to use Chinese solar panels atop a federal building housing the offices of a senator, congressman and several agencies.”
via Feds ignore rules and use stimulus cash to buy Chinese solar panels – Washington Times.
This particular story is about Obama’s now-getting-tough-with-China policy only because Romney criticizes him for all action/inaction thus far, but one wonders what would happen if Romney just keeps knocking away at each of Obama’s failures and perhaps goes so far as to suggest Obama quit right before the election.
Just a thought.
U.S., China file dueling trade complaints over autos – The Washington Post.
“With no politician of Mao’s or Deng’s stature to impose order, differences must be negotiated among a large number of groups, with no appeal to higher authority. Pluralism of a limited sort (not to be mistaken for democracy) is inescapable.
Among the many implications, a serious illness or injury for Xi would then be a nightmare scenario for the Party. Fifteen years ago, the next in line, designated by Deng, would step up. In today’s China, a long-term or permanent disappearance by Xi would throw the entire Party into chaos.
Chinese leaders have long warned of the dangers of “splittism.” This is usually taken as cautions against Western pressure encouraging separatism. It would be ironic if, in fact, the Party were confronted instead by internal splits as pluralism rears its head.
What emerging pluralism means for the U.S is that a system that has always been opaque is now becoming complex as well. More than ever, American policymakers should base their decisions on what China actually does rather than parsing the meaning of official declarations or supposed factional maneuvering.”
via China’s Next Leader Is Missing—and That’s Not Even the Big Story.
