NationStates Jolt Archive

According to Apple Daily, a rightist, sometimes-lying local newspaper, an Undersecretary of State warned China "fiercely" yesterday not to establish oil agreements with "troublemakers" such as Iran, Myanmar and Zimbabwe, or Sino-US relations could be harmed. He said that China could either work with the US to improve energy efficiencies and eliminate the troubles from the "troublemakers", or face American, even international isolation.

Muahaha. What is this? Another arrogant "order" from good ol' Uncle Sam who is always right for the world. :rolleyes:

Seriously, if you can't get the oil from these countries, you don't have to stop others from getting it.

Now, now, Bush doesn't want to piss off Wal-Mart, now does he? :rolleyes:

Nothing will come of this.

(Edit: Wal-Mart would be screwed if anything bid did come from this, because it relies very heavily upon cheap Chinese crap to keep costs down. I don't think the administration would want to incur Wal-Mart's wrath.)

Gar, gar, gar listen to the US, gar, gar, gar!!! FOREIGN POLICY!!!?! :rolleyes:

Ok, here's the thing. It's not so much that we are unable to get the oil as we're not so much into endorsing what are - to be frank - really terrible places. I freely classify myself as a liberal, but I completely concur with all of the Republicans, as well as Democrats, who've been saying exactly this. China is desperate for resources. So is the US. But China has no compunction whatsoever with who they enrich along the way, and I think it's one of the few impressive things that the US has been able to do repeatedly in recent historical context - NOT get oil from as many thugs as we can, furnishing their new palaces as we go.

Sure, Saudi Arabia is not a terribly nice place, all in all. But man oh MAN are these other places terrifically unprincipled.

Yes, it's another American diktat. But it's not a terribly unreasonable one.