Thursday, May 18, 2006

Chinese and Commonwealth friends

Apropos the post yesterday about the worldwide growth in harsh feelings towards Americans, take a look here at this British strategy piece. Via John Brown.

The tragic collapse of America’s ‘soft power’, reputation and influence almost across the entire globe is leaving a dangerous vacuum. Into this vacuum, cautiously, subtly, but steadily are moving the Chinese – with cash, with investment projects, with trade deals, secured access to oil and gas supplies in an energy hungry world, with military and policing support and with technology.

This is a gap which ought to be filled not by the Chinese dictatorship but by the free democracies of the Commonwealth, from both North and South, banded together by a commitment to freedom under the rule of law and ready to make real and common sacrifices in the interests of a peaceful and stable world and the spread of democratic governance in many different forms.

2 comments:

troutsky said...

What do you suppose he means by "sacrifices"? Not a word that is heard much, but it is in fact a radical proposal if understood in an honest fashion.

helmut said...

Good eye, Troutsky. That does seem promising. Environmental (and thus consumption, taxes, etc.), perhaps?