China's Emergence as a Superpower (till 2014)

[Ray]

Dayuhan

The treaties exist because of perceived interests. Why would morality have anything to do with it? China supports N. Korea because they fear the consequences of that regime collapsing. No morality involved.

Again, I would ask you that if there were not a modicum of some morality involved in Treaties, then why have the Non Proliferation Treaty at all since you seem to suggest that it is but merely a piece of worthless paper!

Then why ask the world to ratify it?

I didn't say Myanmar is a corpse, I said imposing economic sanctions on Myanmar is analogous to banning a corpse from a dance floor. It's pointless to ban a corpse from a dance floor because the corpse can't dance anyway. It's pointless to impose economic sanctions on Myanmar because the Myanmar economy can't dance: they've no exports worthy of the name and little capacirty to import. Economic sanctions will only mean something if a country's economy depends on global linkages. Myanmar's doesn't.

Apparently, you fail to comprehend how Myanmar exists as you possibly you fail understand how Pakistan exists.

It is the national psyche that moves them on inspite of impediments (to the western observer) that would make a western country revolt!

People who have little and very few wants can survive; as Myanmar.

People who have extreme religious zeal, can survive with bombings done by external forces and by their own people against their own people as in Pakistan. Pakistan experiences daily attacks by TTP or by US Drones. The common Pakistanis should have been on their knees. But no such thing is evident. They die and still live on as if it were routine!!

It was a slow sink. The rats finally jumped ship, as anyone would... I mean, we talk of rats leaving a sinking ship, but who in his right mind doesn't leave a sinking ship? The Chinese didn't adopt capitalism because the US wanted them to, they did it because they wanted to, for fairly obvious reasons.

Who does not leave a sinking ship?

The boy who stood on the Burning Deck, Casabianca

There came a burst of thunder sound...
The boy-oh! where was he?
Ask of the winds that far around
With fragments strewed the sea.
With mast, and helm, and pennon fair,
That well had borne their part;
But the noblest thing which perished there
Was that young faithful heart.

It is a true story.

The story relates to an extraordinary incident of devotion and heroism witnessed during the Battle of the Nile.
It was on the evening of July 28 of 1798 that the English naval squadron under Lord Nelson sailed in. They had caught the French fleet at anchor and unprepared. The French flagship was the L'Orient and it soon found itself flanked by English ships attacking from both sides. A fierce battle was soon raging and the flashes of 2000 guns lit up the ships in the gathering darkness. L'Orient was caught by the English broadsides and was set ablaze.
It was then that the English sailors saw an amazing sight. There on that burning deck they saw a boy standing alone. He was Cassabianca, the 12 year old son of one of the ship's officers. There he stood, alone at his post. He was surrounded by flames and facing the astonished English foe. Soon afterwards the fire reached the powder magazine deep down in the hold. The boy perished when the whole ship erupted in a massive explosion.

Stations change, and evolve... it is not the right or responsibility of the US to determine anyone else's station or impose any given station on anyone.

Many may share your opinion, but it is not shared by the US Govt or by a majority of US citizens of all origin.

If the Chinese economy falters - and if you're following the Chinese real estate bubble you'll know that the process may have already started - we could easily see impatient people forcing a change in government. The new government could easily be far more aggressive than what we have now. Even if we had the capacity or intention to do economic damage to the Chinese, it's very doubtful that it would be in our interest to do so.

Could you amplify this contention of yours:

Even if we had the capacity or intention to do economic damage to the Chinese, it's very doubtful that it would be in our interest to do so

Why would it not be of interest to the US to see China go Russia's way?

Russia has been sent at least a decade back in the competition to be a world leader.

I am sure you will agree that the US wants to be the indisputable world leader.

Di.ck Cheney and George Bush thought so and so did Clinton and Obama with his quiet diplomacy does not show any indication to the contrary either!