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Thursday, September 5, 2013

China: Erudite, Suave, and Clever

By Sam Huntington


It is an interesting study. On the one hand, we have Barack Obama, a man elected to the American presidency owing to his vast experience and proven diplomatic ability, who in spite of apologizing to the entire world for the United States of America, its history, and its people, managed to fall flat on his face during the so-called Arab Spring movement. On the other hand, there is a growing Chinese influence in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) that is anything but Obama-like. Let’s take a look …

One may recall that the Arab Spring had its beginning when a Tunisian set himself on fire after being harassed by a city official. It has been shaking the Middle East ever since. Three dictators have met their end because of the Arab Spring, but we are not entirely sure this was a good thing. It takes years to record a history.



In the wake of the successful civil disturbances in Tunisia and Egypt, the threat that these instabilities would spread was in fact real—and worrisome to everyone except the Obama administration. No need to worry about that 3 a.m. phone call—no one is answering the phone. Demonstrations occurred in Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, Syria, and Yemen. A major civil uprising engulfed Libya. While some countries placated the people with moderate reforms, other nations responded with a heavy hand. Al Qaeda terrorists were quick to seize hold of the uprisings in Syria: the violence there continues. In Saudi Arabia, everyone received a raise in pay.

How did the United States respond to this crisis? Well, we essentially pissed ourselves and then somehow managed to get four Americans killed. You know, you will not find a more simplistic foreign policy than this …

China, on the other hand, has been nothing if not consistent in its MENA policies and programs. What motivates China is a desire for energy security and an increase of overseas markets and investment opportunities. China consistently opposes military intervention; its MENA policy pragmatic and realistic. In order to achieve energy security and economic opportunity, China prefers a stable international environment. Yes, by all means, let us have reform … but let us do it in such a way that it does not disrupt business opportunity. In China, there are three focuses: find ways to cooperate, negotiate, and manage conflict in a way that benefits all concerned. Does this meet the needs of the people? I say yes: if it stabilizes government, then it meets the needs of the people in such areas as personal security and economic opportunity.

China, therefore, opposes US military intervention —for obvious reasons. Sending in Army Rangers does little to stabilize government until you first kill everyone in the old government. Such events would require China to place its long-range economic plans on hold. It may require starting over in complex negotiations. None of thee things seem to occur to Barack Obama, who is looking for ways to provide arms to Al Qaeda terrorists in Syria. I believe this is largely a result of the fact that only a few of Obama’s cabinet officers have ever worked in the private sector. He does not know business. He only knows bumbling.

MENA countries have long been a strategic focus of the US, Russia, and the European Union. For China, the area is not as important as its neighbors in the Pacific area are and so its Middle East behavior hinges on its understanding of western strategies.

I think the Obama administration has China’s foreign policy analysts scratching their heads and sucking air through their teeth. China wants to avoid actions that will place it in a direct confrontation with the United States. This is what is driving Chinese MENA policies, and so far, they appear to be the real winners. No one in the Middle East views China as a threat. This situation should continue for as long as almost everyone in the Middle East looks upon the US as a great Satan.

We therefore wonder who benefits most when the Arabs hate us with unbridled passion. Working behind the scenes, China is being extraordinarily knowledgeable, exceedingly smooth, and astonishingly clever. We, on the other hand, have Barack Obama and John Kerry.

11 comments:

  1. Let's put this in Layman's Terms. Playing Golf. Frequent Vacations. Ignoring Daily National Security Briefings, turning our Allies into enemies, becoming the laughing stock of the free world, Bowing DOWN to Arab Kings, Playing basketball, Partying with boring and racist celebrities, a blind eye to all of the madness that's been going on in the Mideast, etc. etc.
    Yes, we have these Ultra Liberals running the White House. And Foreign Policy is last on their priorities list. But in reality, he is an astonishingly complete coward, and a wimp of epic proportions.
    Let’s look at Iran for example. What are our leaders waiting for? For whenever Iran starts tossing bombs into enemy territory knowing we wont respond? Just like we have with Syria at this very moment. Looks like playing golf with Tiger Woods supersedes the never ending violence/bombings throughout the Arab States.
    And We Were All Furious At Jimmy Carter! Yup, Well, Welcome To The Jimmy Carter Second Term! The Liberals/Progressives beloved Obama Hussein Obama thinks that he is a Master Politician on the Syrian and Mideast issues. He thinks that he has the upper hand on the Tyrants, the Dictators, the Murderers. But lets not underestimate him, he really IS a cleaver though SLY and Cowardly president by handing the ball to Congress.
    He is turning "Crossing the Red Line" into a personal "Win - Win" situation.
    If Congress votes 'No' then he can blame them for being soft and making the U.S. look bad.
    But if Congress votes 'Yes' he can blame them if things turn out bad in Syria; or claim credit for following the Constitution if the intervention is a success. Pardon the armchair psychology, but I think he’s hiding from his own embarrassment by driving himself into a hole.
    What does he think is going to happen when we wait forever to deal with the crisis? Of course any fool knows that whatever WMD’s they have is going to be moved and hidden! And then what? Are we going to once again bomb an Aspirin Factory?
    Bottom line is that the rest of the world is not supporting us. Why? But Obama is stuck with his Red Line stupidity and now he has to save face. So as Hillary would Screech," what difference does it make now."! The difference is that we do not have to shed anymore American blood over these Rag heads! We have done more than enough. What is going on in Syria is awful but until some other nations get on board i.e. the UN and NATO, I say stand down until they do, going it alone is a fools errand.
    It’s world wide knowledge that Obama is even a weaker pansy than Carter or Clinton. Hoping that his jive kumbaya,,hopey-changey bullshit would make the country stand behind him in this crisis that he created. Oweenie is just an abomination and an utter failure as a president period.

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  2. China not only is securing rights to energy but rare earth minerals that will be even more important decades to come. That which makes our electronics work, and who knows what in the future. Very clever these Chinese. Great post and comments.

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  3. The so-caled Arab Spring has morphed into a Sunni _Shi'a war, which will spread across the region and has the potential to spin terribly out of control. Our Leader From Behind may drag the US into a mess that It cna not get out of alive. (Think weak dollar and $200+ trillion in debts and commitments.)

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  4. Our government appears to lack the capacity for a long view. Maybe this is the result of our “instant gratification” society. The Chinese, on the other hand, do seem more patient and willing to use real diplomacy to achieve their long-term goals. I wonder if there is a School of Savoir-faire in Beijing…

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  5. Even if we could start to rebuild this country I honestly doubt if most or any of us would ever live to see it to fruition. But since there is no desire, as at least the last two elections have proven, to do so I guess that it's just a moot point. Only an inveterate fool could still have any faith in the fraud that occupies the White House, as testimony to a society that elects to self-destruct!

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  6. Secretary of State Kerry said today that “BOMBING SYRIA IS NOT GOING TO WAR". Really. The bullshit is never ending with this bunch of imbeciles in the White House.
    The president is not asking you to go to war," Kerry said in response to a question asked by Sen. Rand Paul,. "He’s simply saying we need to take an action that can degrade the capacity of a man who’s willing to kill his own people by breaking a nearly 100-year-old prohibition, and will we stand up and be counted to say we won’t do that."
    Now isn’t that Interesting.
    I'd thought I'd heard it all from these leftist IDIOT’S but this is a new one even to me.

    Slinging bomb-laden cruise missiles at a foreign country that has not attacked us, is no longer an act of war. It's now merely "degrading the capacity of a man".
    Maybe he's using that phrase, because "overseas contingency operation" and "workplace violence" were already taken?

    There will be no "boots on the ground", after all.
    BTW, I guess that means that the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, also wasn't an act of war. It was, after all, only a "limited air strike" aimed at "degrading the capacity" our Navy in the Pacific ocean
    True also for the 9/11 attacks. No boots on the ground there, remember.
    I'm so glad this administration is there to give us the REAL definitions of these things. Think how confused and misled we'd be without them.
    Is this What Passes as Leftist Intelligence These Days?

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  7. Can I just, say I agree with Spidey.

    and someone already mentioned Pearl Harbor, so I really don't have much to add. I agree.

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  8. Spidey ... your quotation is misattributed. Abraham Lincoln said that, not Mark Twain.

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  9. ___ INVERSION of VALUES ___

    A lunatic wielding a scimitar

    Gets more deference today than the D.A.R.

    We've been long in rehearsal

    For this values reversal,

    So now we don't know who the hell we are!



    When "minorities" whip out a gun

    To "get even," it's thought good clean fun, 

    But Caucasians and Asians 

    Using guns for Evasions

    Of Violence of credit get none!


    ~ Lime Rickey

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  10. It seems that the entire world is looking good compared to Obama. He's a joke, and sadly, we end up being the butt of the joke.

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  11. Amateur hour in the White House for sure. China behind the scenes, we also have Russia behind the scenes but being vocal on certain things. Kerry is such a joke as Secretary of State. Can't say much though, the Republicans are not standing up or taking advantage of the mistakes made by Obama.

    Debbie
    Right Truth
    http://www.righttruth.typepad.com

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