That is true. But the PRC's "public" actions may be very different from its covert actions. A diplomat friend of mine who knows the Chinese well says it is considered axiomatic within the Chinese leadership that it faces inevitable confrontation with the US within the next five to 10 years. I think we are seeing a smiley-faced struggle already well under way between these giants.
My view of Bin Laden's organization is that its ideological rantings are probably a cover for what amounts to a modest-sized mercenary army, for hire by whatever nation-state might want to contract out a "hit" on someone without getting its own fingerprints on the trigger. The great irony may be that the US, as well, has made use of his services, and may have even helped train and fund his mafia in days past.
Clearly, the timing, sophistication and intelligence capabilities demonstrated by the Sep 11 attacks indicated Bin Laden benefitted from some level of state support from somewhere. What other country has enough at stake to effect what amounts to a Pearl Harbor attack on the US? The M.O. fits well with classic Chinese war-making doctrine.
The analogy to Pearl Harbor is intriguing, since that war was started, in part, over the US oil embargo of Japan. The US may be seen currently as effecting somewhat similar strangulation effect on China using oil (and technology). It could be done by tacitly encouraging or supporting uneconomically high oil prices for a sutained period. China is heavily dependent on oil imports, pecentage-wide even moreso than the US if it is to realize its growth and industrialization hopes, and less able to pay for them.
In an interesting 1994 book titled "Victory: The Reagan Administration's Secret Strategy that Hastened the Collapse of the Soviet Union," author Peter Schweitzer details how he US masterfully employed a low-oil-price policy for many years to effectively bankrupt the Ruskies, whose power was heavily financed through oil exports. Could a reverse strategy be ineffect with China?
Of course such strategies can be very expensive to friend, as well as foe, the bet may be that we and our friends have deeper pockets and can weather such economic warfare better than the other guy. Hence, faced with such a strangulation strategy, the PRC may be getting desperate.
You will note that in addition to the Kabul deal announced by the PRC this week, PRC leaders have also renewed efforts to forge an ecominc link with Kazakstan, including construction of a long oil pipeline from that country to China. It is also interesting that BP, for reasons not really made clear, unexpectedly pulled otu of a major CHinese gas pipeline development last week.
My two bits worth. Rebuttle welcome.
I agree with you completely. I have heard more than one person say that the precision and targets chosen seem to indicate state support. Frankly, I doubt Iraq has the capability to pull this off.