Hi CB, the SDI is a bad idea because it puts back on the table a series of deals long settled, thus requiring years of mental and physical labor to settle once more. It destabilizes matters.
<<My understanding is that China has considered maintaining the stability of Islamic regimes in the region in its interest because that kept Russia and the USA busy, taking pressure off China. If that's wrong, I know you'll let me know.>>
Yes, but more. China wants to see all existing organized form of governments in that region stable, because China intuitively knows about dominos and such. If one were to treat the Islamic extremist as a guerilla force, swimming amongst the discontented people in that region, seconding the vital energy of a global / transnational religious group, then any weak government can be shoved aside by the proverbial devil-you-do-not-know. Knocking off Saddam may result in an even nastier lot to take over, like the Taliban. etc etc. and at the core, to the harm of all, control of oil changes hands.
In Bush’s new order, China must be included as a partner, and I believe Bush now knows this, and soon, NYT, WSJ, National Review, once these outfits have had a chance to reflect and ponder.
<<At any rate, right now jihad is aimed at us, and about 300 Russian civilians have been the victims of terrorism in the cities of Russia, likely due to Chechenya, and as far as I know, no Islamic terrorists have hit civilian targets in China>>
More than 300 civilians have died in the past 12 months, by way of bombs on buses and trains, and thus necessitating the construction of new strategic highways and second rail lines towards the western frontier, along with migration out of Sichuan province into Sinkiang (Xinjiang Autonomous Region), coupled with fiat money to further economic gain for the locals (Internet cafes, small hotels, infrastructure construction), all to secure the eventual oil and gas pipelines from Central Asian Republics and Russia.
China has been dealing with the Islamic extremist for the past 50 years, ever since the CIA originally supplied them way back when.
Earlier this year, the Islamic enclave in Beijing was cleared, ostensibly under the guise of real estate redevelopment, but actually under the genuine concern that the growing enclave of restaurants, clubs and hostels are a magnet for all walks of society. IHT at the time reported, “golly, China is picking on the Moslems independence fighter again”.
The things I am concerned about now:
(a) the fall of government in any country with a large Moslem country by genuine popular revolt
(b) the increase of prank phone calls to any and all financial and trade centers
(c) any follow-up to the WTC terror act by way of any bomb, germ, fire, water, … of any construct, buildings, dams, poer stations, ships, cargo, etc
(d) realizing that it is simply too easy to destroy, compared to build
I do not believe I am underestimating the potential of what is coming at us, and I in fact have to start thinking about dormancy procedures for my own business. If there is no business, there is no point to keep my office infrastructure and cost going. I am only starting to think, not act, because we still have business, old business.
Chugs, Jay |
