Posted on 03/09/2006 6:05:56 AM PST by Dark Skies
Imagine if another Tienemen Square were to take place DURING the 2008 olympics?
What would the government do?
Seems like a prime opportunity for the people of China to make a big deal about the fact they are slaves. Slave Riot!
Under the current regime, given the enormous rise of the economy, the scale of corruption has to be staggering.
My dad, who spent many years in China and Asia, always predicted China would not remain Communist for long. The Chinese have been bankers, traders and brokers for generations, unlike the Russians who are suspicious of "profit."
If Chang is indulging in wishfulness, he certainly seems to be tempering it.
I think this is worth highlighting:
. . . China will one day be a constructive participant in world affairs.
But it is not one today. Our policy is the grandest wager in history. We are hoping to make China a more responsible power. So far, all we have done is make it a more powerful one. We may not be creating the next Soviet Union, but we are nonetheless enabling a country that now considers us a foe. Today, China is the primary obstacle to disarming North Korea, is one of the main supporters of Iran's nuclear weapons program, is a friend of most every reprehensible regime on the planet, is the world's master proliferator of nuke technology, and is the only country that actively plans to kill Americans.
Our government seeks to engage China, which means that Washington is not willing to talk honestly about that country's behavior. Today, we overlook, ignore, and sugarcoat. . . . We are playing an enormously dangerous game, and we seldom talk about the risks.
One of President Bush's best ideas (IMO) is that we need to stop doing that. We support Democracy wherever it can be found. We disavow dictators wherever they may be. This is good -- morally good, of course, but also I think it is politically good.
The one exception (sigh) seems to be China. They are so big. They manufacture so much, so cheaply. We just don't want to declare them to be unacceptable.
I fear that we are making a mistake. We can look back at the Cold War and feel embarassment ("I can't believe we supported that guy!") but we're still doing it today.
Thank you, "free traders."
The Chinese engage in bad behavior. We reward them. So they continue their irresponsible conduct. We reward them still more.
That's why Lenin called Western businessmen "useful idiots."
Well. let's see. In the special economic zones there are some 300 million many of whom are the "haves." That leaves about 800 million outside of the zones almost all of whom are the "have nots." Who will win? Many among the "haves" are Party members, I bet they will try to use the 800 million against the dangerous idea of democracy.
It almost seems to be appeasement. I find it to be a horrible game.
They will need a large threat from the outside to galvanize
the people to back who ever controls their military...
A big 'righteous' seeming war is always good for keeping thugs in power and garnering them even more...
imo
Shhh... No blaspheming against the cult of the awmighty dollar round here.
"My dad, who spent many years in China and Asia, always predicted China would not remain Communist for long. The Chinese have been bankers, traders and brokers for generations, unlike the Russians who are suspicious of "profit.""
Excellent point. I believe that!
Completely agree. Plus it appears that it is causing them to ignore a rising national security threat...and refuse to acknowledge squarely some very disturbing strategic positioning by China in our own hemisphere....not to mention these:
In many ways Gordon Chang is actually admitting via some caveats within the heart of the interview... that some of his conclusions and the title is more wish than probability.
Particularly when he more or less tracks with the late Dr. Constantine Menges, and concurs that we are actually hindering the democratic revolution against the Chinese Communist Party:
"Today, we overlook, ignore, and sugarcoat. The risk for us is that the Chinese will bring down the current American-led international system long before China would otherwise become a responsible power. We are playing an enormously dangerous game, and we seldom talk about the risks.
Unfortunately, positive change will not come as fast as it should, in part because we have created a set of perverse incentives. The Chinese engage in bad behavior. We reward them. So they continue their irresponsible conduct. We reward them still more. In these circumstances, why would they ever change?
So is our policy toward China succeeding? Not yet. Will it succeed? Yes, in the long term. But there may be no long term." [Emphasis added]
He can be excused for being guardedly optimistic, but he himself is recognizing he could be horribly wrong...
Hence, for national defense planning we can't be banking on his wishful thinking.
The very same wishful thinking that has been holding sway since George H.W. Bush was President Reagan's point man for China.
I think he understates also the import of the degree of 'radicalism' still promulgated by China...if not so much overtly, then covertly via their secretive diplomacy with any and all comers who have issues with the U.S.: Russians, Venezuelans, Iranians, Cubans, Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico, Panama and of course North Korea.
They are clearly pushing towards some sort of global, strategic coordinated action against the U.S....probably encompassing, military, and economic.
And the most dangerous times are always when tyrants fear they are losing control. They will use their full power to try and keep it.
Furthermore, even if the CCP were eventually ousted, (which remains to be seen) we still have much reason to be alarmed about the racist nationalism they have been orchestrating to cement their hold on national popularity. this could easily morph into an equally, if not more dangerous version of Sino-Nazism.
What would the government do?
The communists are well aware of this possibility, or the more likely smaller but numerous demonstrations.
In preparation for the Olympics they are now rounding up and jailing/killing those who might try to put up a demonstration of any sort during the Olympics when the world is focused on China.
They have internet police active as well to find any dissenters. Since Tiananmen they have been pro-active in stopping any such activity before it would even begin. This is why contrary to what many say, what we would refer to as civil liberties have actually decreased over the past 15 years.
I give the Chinese communist's fascist state 19 more years. When you see KMT setting up offices on mainland, then the end is near for the fascists.
As Gordon Chang intimates, that is a longer time than we have.
Thanks for the ping!
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