Sol Sanders | Follow the money No. 100 | The limits of personal diplomacy

Latest from Uncle Sol, a version of which may apear in the Washington Times Monday --  Chris

Follow the money No. 100 |  The limits of personal diplomacy

Sol Sanders <[e-mail]>

Back in prehistory, during The Cold War, students of arcane Kremlinology –  the science and art of trying to unravel what Winston Churchill called “a riddle wrapped in an enigma” – identified a dangerous heresy. “Mirror-imaging”, it was called, defined as attributing to Moscow our own motivations, rather than understanding Soviet Communist leadership lived in a completely different world and dreamed different dreams.

In a sense it was what Sigmund Freud called “projection”, a psychological defense whereby an individual “projects” his own thoughts, motivations, desires and feelings onto someone else. In the Soviets case, the West collectively – hoping against hope – often tried to see Moscow’s actions as an expression of a common desire for peace and stability. Alas! that was rarely the case, especially after Josef Stalin’s failed mid-30s self-serving maneuvers to block Nazi Germany.

All this came to mind with a recent Obama Administration “leak” announcing Vice President Joseph Biden would take “the China portfolio”. Insiders said Mr. Biden would channel multifaceted China relations, ultimately lifting issues from secretaries of state, treasury, and defense. It didn’t take long for the lickspittle camp followers of the huge U.S. China trade lobby who apparently flew this kite to bring it to earth. No, Mr. Biden, hasn’t quite become the [however controversial] “assistant president” of Mr. Richard Cheney in the Bush II Administrations, and would not he be taking over “China”, just kibitzing.

But one couldn’t help speculating on the origins of this little Washington circus.

For some months it’s been clear with continuing Middle East disasters – admittedly much of the debris inherited from earlier times and administrations – the Obama White House wanted the country to look further east for its major foreign policy initiatives. A fawning media fell in line. That was despite echoes of growing disappointment in Pres. Obama’s earlier Muslim outreach, the escalating Iranian crisis, unanticipated subversion of “The Arab Spring”, troubled relations with major ally Israel, and the messy withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Still, China looms ever larger. Not only are there huge unresolved economic issues in a time when the economy takes front and center – Beijing’s still growing dollars hoard, the unresolved yuan’s value, billions in stolen American intellectual property, blocking of American imports. But increasing bellicosity of Chinese military – and a lashing out against the U.S. by Le Keqiang, now scheduled as China’s next prime minister -- all point to what might well be America’s number one longer term foreign policy concern.

With cavalier aplomb – given what’s generally perceived as U.S. over commitment and a gaping treasury – Sec. Clinton added to all this when she threw down the gauntlet in Southeast Asia. With “Vietnam Syndrome”long forgotten, Mrs. Clinton announced Washington would back China’s Southeast Asian neighbors in attempting to fend off Beijing’s outrageous claims to South China Sea oil and gas and dominance of one of the world’s most strategic waterways. Yes, it was only a restatement of America’s post-World War II Western Pacific hegemony and renewing the U.S. Navy’s pledge to maintain freedom of the seas. Still …

As best one can calculate – motivation is always the most dangerous speculation – some Administration geopolitical genius latched on to the coincidence Mr. Biden was the U.S. vice president, and China’s Vice President, Xi Jinping, is supposedly tapped in this fall’s succession to succeed Pres. Hu Jinbao. So, wouldn’t it be jolly for our vice president to get to know their vice president, establish a personal relationship, leading to understanding and cooperation, as we set off into the sunset? Kumbaya!

But Beijing’s politics are, if anything, more Byzantine than Washington’s – and far more opaque. Mr. Xi has repeatedly stumbled despite his “lips and teeth” relationship to Pres. Hu in his scramble for the triple throne of Party, military and government No. 1. And despite Mr. Biden’s claims to proletarian origins, they hardly match “princeling” Mr. Xi’s background -- son of a Communist Party founder who incurred Mao Tsetung’s wrath that ondemned his teenage son to seven years “exile” at hard labor in a poverty-stricken semidesert village.

Whatever their vitae, dreaming up a buddy relationship as solution to the troubled U.S.-China relations almost certainly ahead, is, indeed, preposterous. The little soap opera proves, were it not already self-evident, the “lessons” of the Cold War lie buried somewhere in the Library of Congress -- with no remnant at CIA, one surmises.

sws-01-06-12

Comments

[sara29]

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[Eally Ucked]

Sorry, I'm retarded, but what he wanted to say? Probably that shit goes well with subscribers to his news letter, but I can get it.

[Ammyjames]

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[Capt Tripps]

I'm with you Bro, translation please?  The fact I had to google "vitae" might just mean I am retarded, in which case skip the translation.

[Stuck on Zero]

It's diplo speak (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=diplospeak):

The dialect of slang, or euphemistic speech used by diplomats and politicians when they want to say something terrible about someone, but don't want to pay the consquences of saying such a terrible thing. From NY Times, 10/22/05: 'Mr. Bolton, who termed Mr. Mekdad's denials "ridiculous," accused Syria of failing to cooperate with the investigators, which, he said, was "diplospeak for obstruction of justice."'

[disabledvet]

this is a very good article but of course completely ignorant of polling data. stay close to CNN to get the real story. my understanding is that Joe Biden's poll numbers are rock solid and rising. this is definitely a promotion. it feels like there's a chaotic atmosphere surrounding this Administration's National Security policies...and the announcement of massively downsizing the Marine Corps of all things was both ill-timed and ill-advised...and possibly even worse. there have been no messages from the Obama White House whatsoever about telling the Iranians to stick it where the sun don't shine no matter what...and i think that's making an already extremely precarious situation damn near a caussi bellum. The announcement on top of that that "China is the real enemy" strikes me as "adding fuel to fire" as well. Rocket fuel to be precise. I did take note the "Bibi" is suddenly "blurting peace talks" with Kind Abdullah of Jordan. Methinks it's far too late now for that.

[tony bonn]

the cold war was the brain child and invention of the oss/cia....it was stoked and fueled by the totalitarian rockefeller-mic-yale-cia assholes who murdered jfk.....they can be counted on to come to rescue war from the jaws of peace....they are practicing their craft hard in the middle east as we speculate....

[Fred Hayek]

Have you never heard the name "Josef Stalin" before? Don't get so deep into your message that you can't recognize other facts. Stalin was the psychopath's psychopath. The idea that things would've been fine if not for something the OSS or CIA did is, frankly, bizarre. Stalin had put millions to death and was a paranoid nutcake. You can't just wish that away.

[disabledvet]

no. You need to read "Present at the Creation" by Secretary of State Dean Acheson. The Cold War was the creation of American Ambassador to the Soviet Union George Kennan's famous "X telegram." He's credited with the theory of containment but in fact hated the idea...especially as it was put into practice. here's our Extra-normals discussing part of it LITERALLY:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXb6iwZmJPE&feature=player_detailpage
history is destiny...and all notions of "control" are just an illusion propagated to give people a reason to buy an i-pad.

[Debt-Is-Not-Money]

David Atlee Phillips?

[billsbest]

Mitt Romney and his offshore bank accounts

[Setarcos]

Are you claiming that the US was/is peaceable and non-aggressive and that these traits were wrongly 'projected' on the Soviets, thereby weakening US defence/offence capabilities?

If so then that's nonsense.  The US has been anything but peaceable and non-aggressive for over two centuries ... e.g. wars of expansion on the (now) mainland which defeated the Indian nations and created the present states comprizing the mainland Empire, expanded yet more by the Spanish/Mexican wars ... so that now there are about 1000 US military/colonial bases in about 130 countries world-wide.

There is no evidence whatsoever to support the claims that the Soviets and the Chinese now, or ever had their own expansionist agenda (other than mainly economic through normal trade means).

Sure the PTW/B in Washington were/are 'projecting' onto the Soviets (now the Russian Federation) and China.  What they - and a myriad common folk in the US - are 'projecting' are their own aggressive characteristics and desire for an expanding empire.

Funny that you should cite Winston Churchills inabilty to understand understand Russia ... of course that old warmonger (and all those like him) could never understand any NOT like himself and of course he understood Hitler, because his personality was similar.

[disabledvet]

actually when Putin came back to "take charge" i took note he was literally crying on tv when he "assumed control." apparently the mind martians are fer real and on the attack!

[QuietObserver]

"There is no evidence whatsoever to support the claims that the Soviets and the Chinese now, or ever had their own expansionist agenda (other than mainly economic through normal trade means)."

What??? So, I assume the annexation of all eastern Europe after World War II and the repeated crushing of any attempts to rebel or break away from Mother Russia were just mainly economic expansion through normal trade means????

[Motorhead]

Oh, Nicky, I'm so confused.

[StychoKiller]

"Put your thumb on your place in the script, that way you won't get confused." -- Nick Danger

[apberusdisvet]

Hmmm.  A clue that Biden and Hillary switch roles for the 2012 election.  God help us all.

[GeneMarchbanks]

I don't know, probably. Chimerica, it turns out was a bad idea. Sadly for Americans, they now have to import Chinese wages. Oops.

How's that Gingrich campaign going you silly bitch?

[disabledvet]

i don't know why i find that funny...but i do.

i don't do too many shout outs Gene...but "this one's for you":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t8iEpdabms&feature=player_detailpage

[GeneMarchbanks]

Thanks. You're heavy on the youtube today, huh dv?

[disabledvet]

"a picture's worth a thousand words." a movie clip? no words needed anymore if done right. in internet parlance i'm what's called a "meme." the theory is that long after we perish the meme lives on. it's how one learns a foreign language...through massive repetition. eventually...you start repeating the meme without even thinking of it. of course such a...device...can only be created in the world of cyber-space. and if it's not engaging in every way...no one would pay attention to begin with. not easy to do i might add. you have to be very...playful. there's an actual game variant out called "fun with words." that amateur hour in my book tho.