America as "The Default Power"
Lance
China story we see so often:
see
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/65239/josef-joffe/the-default-power?page=show
(You will need to register to read the article).
lance
Peter Brooks
> An interesting argument against the decline of America and rise of
> China story we see so often:
>
> see
>
>
> (You will need to register to read the article).
>
the next page, asked for money. I'm afraid that I object to that sort
of dishonest bait & switch, so, even if I thought their articles
really, really interesting, I'd never subscribe to them, ever. Liars
do, I know, prosper, but I try not to help them on their way.
Peter Brooks
> China story we see so often:
>
> see
>
>
> (You will need to register to read the article).
>
possible to read it, with registration, even though they do try the
bait & switch routine.
Firstly the argument seems to be, because something has been wrong in
the past it means that it is still wrong now. Well, that's really
deeply convincing logic, isn't it?
Secondly, it argues that the US spends far more than anybody else on
weapons and their killing machine - as if it is impressive that they
spend so much, but still lose almost all their wars. If they spent
less their failures would be somewhat less embarrassing, I'd have
thought.
Thirdly, they seem to argue that China has to achieve a similar level
of economic growth to 'dethrone' the US - neglecting the huge
indebtedness of the US to China. That's like arguing that bankers will
always be poor because they produce less than their customers.
Fourthly, it argues that it is a good thing that the US relies on
foreigners for its intellectual capital. Bizarre, but obviously
nothing can stand in the way of a good rant.
Then it goes on to argue that Russia, China or somebody else would
fuck things up in the middle east worse than the US has done - hard to
imagine, really.
It seems to then argue that things are good because they look good to
the US.
I don't know, I suppose you could call all this 'refreshing', but it
reads like a load of arse to me. The main message seems to be that it
was only the Shrub that made the US look nasty. As if it spent most of
the 20th Century as some sort of nation saint.
Lance
I'm afraid I'm going to have to defer replying - I am out of time.
Thanks for your response.
Lance
Peter Brooks
>
> I'm afraid I'm going to have to defer replying - I am out of time.
> Thanks for your response.
>
that's also a reason for facebook and similar social media's
popularity, is that replies can be leisurely.