Thursday, November 18, 2010

Quadrennial Defense Review

The 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review, hardly a bastion of progressive internationalist thinking, included this little nugget, 'The rise of China, the world’s most populous country, and India, the world’s largest democracy, will continue to shape an international system that is no longer easily defined—one in which the United States will remain the most powerful actor but must increasingly work with key allies and partners if it is to sustain stability and peace.  Whether and how rising powers fully integrate into the global system will be among this century’s defining questions, and are thus central to America’s interests.
http://www.defense.gov/qdr/images/QDR_as_of_12Feb10_1000.pdf

Must work with key allies and partners?  Immediately after mentioning the two largest of the rising actors?  'Whether and how' these rising power integrate will be central to America's interests?  Sounds like America's interests are centered on including China and India in alliances and partnerships.  That's music to my ears, especially considering Hillary Clinton's latest run-in with Chinese leaders. I believe that the best response is to ignore calls for a 'containment strategy' and instead focus on each of the problems as distinct incidences of disagreement with merits separate from other disputes. 

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