China Earthquake Tragedy: People Don’t Really Matter

Dave Schuler rounds up several press accounts of the massive earthquake damage in China, which has killed untold tens of thousands of people. Most notable is the number of schools that collapsed, dooming the children inside. He concludes, It’s not for a lack of money: China is holding nearly a half trillion dollars worth of U. S. Treasury ...

The Coming Cyber-War

While we're refocusing our national security apparatus around counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism, we're falling dangerously behind the curve on cyber security. Defense Tech's Kevin Coleman has some details: China is well known for its global cyber espionage efforts. And while the United States has received most of the media attention given to cyber attacks, we are not the only ones dealing with ...

UCLA SUX (Oh, and, Free Tibet)

Seen whilst driving home: A Virginia "Friends of Tibet" license plate with the vanity inscription "UCLA SUX." Presumably, a USC fan. Now, while I realize these messages aren't mutually exclusive, they seem rather contradictory in spirit. If nothing else, one wouldn't think it would persuade a lot of Bruins alumni to Tibet's cause. And, given the relative ...

In India, Skin Lightening Creams Are All the Rage

The Washington Post reports that American-style beautification obsessions are starting to make their way into India. Like this:He's the rugged type, with sculpted arm muscles. He rides a motorcycle and wears a trendy tank top, wraparound sunglasses and slicked-back hair. There's only one problem: His skin color is a few shades too dark. His fair-skinned love interest won't even accept ...

Hillary Blasts Bush for Bill’s China Deal

I've been arguing for quite some time both here and on OTB Radio that Hillary Clinton's protectionist rhetoric on trade has been 180 degrees from the policy that her husband carried out as president. Now, we have the perfect illustration. It's a story Hillary Clinton loves to tell, about how the Chinese government bought a good American company in Indiana, ...

Boycotting the Olympics (Because it Worked So Well for Jimmy Carter)

Erick Erickson and the gang at Red State join forces with Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi to implore President Bush to boycott the Beijing Olympic opening ceremonies. We know some on the right who tend to view the world mostly in economic terms will disagree with us. Yes, we recognize that China is a large trading partner. We ...

What Will We Do About Tibet?

The Chinese government continues to put down anti-government demonstrations by Tibetans both in Tibet and in China proper: The flagship newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party called Saturday for efforts to "resolutely crush" anti-government demonstrations by Tibetans, while Beijing urged people to turn in those on a "Most Wanted" list of 21 protesters. As Chinese troops smothered Tibetan-heavy areas to avert additional ...

Military-Industrial-Pundit Complex?

James Fallows observes that, "The same people -- same individuals, same organizations, same publications, same blog sites - that ginned up a war with Iraq, and that have supported ginning up a war with Iran, are settling in for a longer term confrontation with China." He advises that they be "judged on their track record." Fair enough. John ...

Fool Me Once Shame On You, Fool Me 2,128 Times…

Over the last year or so the “Chinese brand” has been under quite a bit of stress. From pet food contaminated with melamine to toys painted with lead paint the visibility of products manufactured in China with serious defects has been increasing. Most recently we have reports of a Chinese chemical manufacturing plant, unlicensed by the Chinese government ...

What Do We Owe to China?

I've mentioned to James a number of times that we really need to be talking more about sovereign wealth funds and, lo! and behold, James Fallow touches upon that very subject in his recent article in the Atlantic Monthly, The $1.4 Trillion Question (hat tip: Mark Safranski). In the article Fallows does an excellent job of laying out ...

The Limits of Noninterventionism

Before I get into the meat of this post I need to mention that I've opposed every U. S. military intervention of the last 25 years including the Gulf War, our interventions in Bosnia, Serbia, and Kosovo, and our invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Do I think that we're too quick to intervene militarily overseas? Obviously, yes. ...

Ron Paul: Harbinger or Next Year’s Has-Been?

GWU political scientist John Sides is the latest individual to dispute the thesis that Ron Paul is a revolutionary figure in American politics. My working guess (given the givens about social scientists generally, but not knowing him personally) is that Sides is less sympathetic to Paul's agenda than a libertarian (on the big L/little l boundary) like me, but ...

Book Review: The Siege of Mecca

I’ve written a review of The Siege of Mecca: The Forgotten Uprising in Islam’s Holiest Shrine and the Birth of Al Qaeda, a riveting retelling of the events of November, 1979, when a group of around 500 Islamic extremists (including at least two American Black Muslims) seized the Grand Mosque at Mecca. The author concludes that this action, taken along ...

Unhappy Thanksgiving for the USS Kitty Hawk Strike Group (UPDATED)

At the last minute, Chinese officials have REVERSED course and pulled long-approved permission for the USS Kitty Hawk and accompanying vessels to conduct a port visit in Hong Kong over Thanksgiving. Instead the family members that flew there at their own expense will be without their Sailors, while the Sailors will be aboard their ships going in circles in the ...

China Protests Dalai Lama Gold Medal

The Dalai Lama is getting the Congressional Gold Medal and having his picture taken with President Bush. The government of China is not amused. The White House vigorously defended President Bush's plan to meet with the Dalai Lama Tuesday, brushing aside China's warning that it would damage relations between Washington and Beijing. Both Bush and members of Congress — who ...