CHINA AND THE MIDDLE EAST………   “COMPARE AND CONTRAST”

Now, when I was a Freshmen in College, I had a Professor, Sister Bernice and she LOVED the dreaded “ Compare and Contrast” Essay! I would walk  into the classroom on test day and there it was……Compare and Contrast the….bla….bla….bla….. Well… I couldn’t walk out, she was way too mean!

Well, unfortunately, that hated format is most likely one of the most impactful styles of analyzing on the topic of the  US’s polar opposite stance in the Pacific and the Middle East.    So, here I go!

Comparing the two regions of the world:

When this administration came into office back in 2009, it seemed determined  to “right the wrongs” of nation and was hell-bent to do so as quickly as possible, with the exception of Immigration Reform, something the Democrats never really wanted in the first place… not if they want to keep the Union money flowing! Remember…they owned the White House / The House and the Senate for two years, but when have facts ever gotten in the way of political leaders on the stump? Ok, I took my shot, now, back to my topic.

It was clear the, “take a knew and bow your head” world tour was a great ploy if someone was looking for the Nobel Peace Prize and it that since both regions of the world may have been given the same message……the Universal, “We are sorry….we are ashamed…we will not do it again”! Granted, the tour Bus didn’t really stop in the Middle East or the even the Pacific, but the message was clear to both parts of the word, there is a new day in the US and that new day is based on the US not wanting to lead anymore…..oh ya…. And we are sorry!

So how did this universal communication translate to both regions of the world?

In the spirit of focusing on “comparing”, let me comment on what our “Old Allies” probably interpreted.  “We are leaving”!

The US’s Pacific partners, most likely quickly had to hold internal, national level, huddles do determine what message the US was sending and what did it mean to them?

 Now, I will admit, the process of international relationship building always takes place and this was not an event the new Administration in the US invented. What changed was the perception of a radical shift in doctrine for the US.

Just as the “Partners” of the Pacific began to question what the new US message was and what it would mean to them, so was the story of the Middle East “Partners”. 

And so class, this is the first example of “Compare”! Uncertainty became a crack in the world’s stability that up to that point was at least controllable…not perfect…. But far more stable than today!  (For those of you wondering…yes…. I am implying the death of American Exceptionalism has resulted in a very dangerous world…….absolutely)!

Our Partners in both regions of the world began the process of forming new “Alliances” based on the concept of having to “fend for themselves”. By the way, this same process is now underway in Europe as they sit back and watch a wave of immigration they cannot control… an immigration wave that is the result of the US’s actions in the Middle East! Don’t buy that statement? You don’t have to. It’s the one Putin is using all over Europe as he pulls Eastern Europe and perhaps even Central Europe back into his camp! If you are not looking, open your eyes!

The Gulf States stood up, on paper at least, the new Arab Military Alliance! The Pacific nations did the same. One worried about the Persians and their Russian Masters and the other, the Dragon! And while both of these events were taking place, the tone in the US seemed to be, “good….it’s about time”!  Naïve, but understandable. All that money being spent on protecting these people who don’t even like us….we could spend it on our own people!  Yep, Naïve, but understandable.

As these new “Partnerships” were hastily being formed, an even more dramatic change was taking place and once again that change was the direct result of the “Bow you Head” tour.

The Dragon and the Tsar saw not just an opportunity to remove the US from the title of World Leader, they event began to envision a US where it’s reaming Allies would look on in astonishment as the US step backwards…time and time again! Yes….. the opportunity to push the US off the world stage! The Dragon was changing and the US didn’t see it coming, well, some did, but they were never listen to….greed and profit are powerful drugs! The Dragon was moving it’s economy to an internal market and the reliance on the US / West / was going to decrease, thus worrying about the status of the US was only a temporary issue. As soon as the whole Pacific understood who the real King was, the export business would surge forward. The second coming of the Ming Dynasty, only this time around, they have sailed the seas and planted their colonies well. “They need us more than we need them”!! The words of idiots!

So, you see, the second “compare”, the one that in the long run will end up being far more important was centered around  both regions coming to terms with the fact  they had  new “Leaders” and if the regions didn’t like the old one, then they better be ready for the new!  Ask the Rebels in Syria! 

The Pacific was made up of Allies abandon and scrambling for protection. 

The Middle East, well…….ditto!

Single “compare” statement……………… Abandonment!

Contrasting the two regions:

What is the “contrast” part of this discussion? How do the events of the Pacific differ from the events of the Middle East? It’ a hard cell given the two, strategic arguments I just put on paper, but I’ll take a shot at explaining my position on “contrast”.

Why did the US administration make such a bold announcement about focusing on the Pacific? Why did the US go from the “Bow your Head Tour” to the, “You better not move” chest pounding? Did someone convince a very inexperienced President, on world matters that is, that a real danger was simmering in the Dragon’s cave? What happened? I’ve ready several versions of what drove the current US administration into this stance, but I remain confused by the common thread all these theories seem to hold.  The West / US / was far to economically dependent on the trade routes of the Pacific to allow the Dragon to simply overtake the slice of the world.

Simply put, the US could pump oil, but we could not produce 200 dollars IT gadgets.  Yes, the administration was openly opposed to US oil independence all in the name of environmentally sensitive voters and most likely the President’s own beliefs.  Yet, the one sure fire way to get out of the seemingly unsolvable Middle East scenario was to not be dependent on the regions oil!  Green energy concepts, what a disaster that was, seemed to be the administration party line. But, along with the Green concept, came the quiet support for oil / gas development; not openly, but quietly with constant, public statements of “we are against that”.   

So, somehow the administration sees the correct path to be based on challenging the Dragon in the Pacific and yet let the Middle East and to the most part Europe, go!

Complex?

Yes.

Irrational?

Well, most are still scratching their heads, especially are old “Partners”.

I will agree with the argument the Middle East was an open conflict zone that had centuries of quagmire for the Western political leaders. When you placed this on the plate of a President who was not an “internationalist” and lived by a Progressive, pacifist doctrine, it’s not a wonder the US came to the conclusion it was time to disengage the Middle East. Does that provide an excuse for the insanity that came about of this doctrine? Let history be the judge of that.

Somehow, the Pacific became worth fighting for, but the Middle East and ultimately Europe was not. Why do I continue to toss Europe into the mix?  Does anyone think NATO is willing to fight the Tsar or his proxies for the sake of Latvia? Really? The Tsar doesn’t! By the way, look for the Ukraine to start phase 3 of the Tsar’s Master Plan in the near future. Why not…. Who is going to stop him?

Back to the question, why the Pacific? Why did the Pacifist leader of the US try and roar like a lion over the issue of the Pacific? Was it just trade routes? If a Chinese Navy ship made port of call in every major bay of the region, would that really impact the price of a IPhone?

Wait! What was that? Did I mention the fear of no longer getting low cost comedies from China?

If the standard of living rises for the Chinese and everyone in the region they lay claim to, does the US consumer still get the same phone that would cost them 4 or 5 times as much if it were made in the US?  

Can the administration convince the American people to work at wages that would not even allow them to own a car or a house?  If everything  made in China suddenly cost what it would take to make them in the US, what would the results be?

The Pacific is the land of low cost, high demand commodities, items the US population is addicted to and I do mean “addicted”.

 Chinese slave labor is the engine of world trade.

Ugly statement?

You bet!

Is it true?

You bet!

People love to speak of the injustices in the world, but don’t mention what is taking place in China………Look the other way……..” LOOK…..SQUIRREL”!!!

Ok, what is the administration worried about? Why the willingness to stand fast in the Pacific?

Can the rest of the world afford to have the Chinse increase the standard of living for all of China? Can every Chinese citizen be allowed to afford a car….a house? 

What happens when that IPhone cost is acceptable to people of China, but not the rest of the world?

Do we suddenly start making “cheap” IPhones in the US?

Does a nation 17 TRILLION dollars in debt have the investment room to replicate what it can no longer afford coming from the Chinese factories? Who owns that Debt?

If the Chinese standard of living surpasses the US, who must take on a slave labor market mentality?

Do you think the US just asked the Dragon for yet another “loan”, when the Dragon has decided the loan has no or little return?

Look! The Chinese never jumped into the Capitalist Pool of economics to “Westernize” the Chinese people!

They had witnessed the Western hunger for the Pacific for hundreds of years. 

They chose to confront their ideological enemy by over feeding them, not fighting them.

Feed them until they are so “fat” they cannot dare live without you.

They weaponized Capitalism and we took the bait without even smelling it.

Cheap goods, until the day the goods no longer needed to be cheap!

We watched the Dragon grow for over forty years and the whole time, although some were worried, most looked on and said, “Wow….look how cheap that gadget is”?

Did the “Awakening” take place with the current Administration? Has the lightbulb come on in DC?

The Dragon’s plan is nearly complete and as it draws in a deep breath before letting out a ball of fire…..did the victim suddenly see flaw in their trust? 

Yes, this is the “contrast”. The Middle East and even Europe is not the Center of Gravity for the US. It is not oil! It’s cheap goods and huge debt!

The Center of Gravity is in the land of the Dragon and the Dragon is about to fly out of the Lair and at the last moment, the victims see the light!  The light of the fire in the Dragon’s chest!

As a side note, if you are one of those Keynesian economists followers and you’ve spent time on some University Campus listening to a highly educated so called expert, someone who understands the world from reading about it or attending a cocktail party, then go back to bed, for you believe that the old worn out story of “ supply and demand” will equal out everything!

Remember the word…..and the word is Naïve…. As you look into the Dragon’s mouth!