Posted on 05/11/2010 7:15:08 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
This century has witnessed China's emergence as the main challenger to the superpower status of the United States. In a dramatic fashion, China is beginning to establish its foothold in the highly strategic, energy-rich region of the Middle East by forging strong ties with regional powers and gradually challenging the U.S.-Israeli regional dominance. Thanks to decades of double-digit economic growth and accelerating military modernization, China now has both the need for and the capability of engaging the Middle East.
Confined to the sidelines during the Cold War, the Chinese leadership finally found a window of opportunity to enter the regional politics and expand its military exports. During the 1980s, China increasingly criticized Soviet disinterest in assisting regional "revisionist powers" such as Syria against U.S. allies. Subsequently, it sought regional influence through forging strong ties with leading anti-U.S. powers in the region.
The Middle East was a staging area for Cold War conflicts between the United States and the Soviet Union. Will the region become a battleground in the 21st century conflict between a rising China and a stagnant United States?
Iran: Key Partner
Through the 1990s, China provided an increasing amount of ballistic missile technology to Syria. But the key partner to emerge in the region was Iran. During the Iran-Iraq war, China was a key military supplier for Iran. From the 1980s to 1997, support for nuclear programs became a pivotal element of Beijing's effort to forge a strong partnership with Iran.
In the 1990s, Iran embarked on a major program of reconstruction and gradual increases in oil prices accelerated Iran's hopes for a comeback. The reconstruction program expanded Iran's industrial base, and reinvigorated the population and economy.
(Excerpt) Read more at eurasiareview.com ...
"Joint war games are a logical outcome of the Sino-Russian Friendship and Cooperation Treaty signed in 2001, and reflect the shared worldview and growing economic ties between the two Eastern Hemisphere giants."
Joke article. China challenging US dominance in the Middle East? LOL... I cannot wait for the moment when this whole Chinese super scam collapses in front of our eyes. It will be a great day.
Personally, the Chinese can have the ME.
I feel the same way, even though I know it's likely that the economic crash of China will inflict mega damage on the US's economy, too. But I've read so much triumphalist crap from Chinese writers and so much crowing over US decline from EUropean ones that despite my intellectual qualms over a China collapse emotionally I'd be only too delighted.(At least till the US economic mega collapse....)
In China they have no freedom and thus they are going to eventually fail. Not society is going to succeed without freedom that what history tells us and that is what human nature tells us. Moreover 90% of the Chinese live in a such an abject poverty that will shock many of us and not matter how much the communists ruler in China accumulate state power and wealth at the end they are going to fail and crumble.
Look at those arrogant socialists SOB in Europe, their whole union is in total turmoil and eventually they are going to crumble. Their union is built on sand, 25 nations, with 25 people, 25 culture, 25 national interests, will never form a strong and coherent union, it is simply against human nature.
God bless America
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