Sic Semper Tyrannis

McCarthy, Alsop, Clemons and Ignatius vs George Marshall

In his speech at Lexington, Virginia on the 8th, Romney made it a point to praise General of the Army George Marshall the Nobel Prize for Peace winner who was also Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense and head of the American Red Cross.

Why did he do that?  It seems to me that this praise as well as the chosen venue for the speech was calcualted to move Romney's PR and marketing generated image back to the center of the political spectrum where the greatest number of American voters reside. 

George Marshall has been a favorite punching bag for the extreme right in US politics since the 1950s.

After the end of WW2, PresidentTtruman sent Marshall to China to attempt to mediate the ongoing Chinese civil war, a war between the communists and the nationalist KMT government.  At that time the nationalist government was heavily supported by the United States.  Several billion dollars of military aid had been provided.  Fifty thousand US Marines had been landed in China to prevent seizure of key facilities by the communists.  Marshall found that the nationalist government and its forces had been very severely damaged in the struggle against Japan in WW2 and that the communist forces were far more capable.  At the same time he reached the conclusion that the level of money corruption inside the nationalist government was so severe that the money and equipment being provided by the US was serving little useful purpose in defending the country against a communist victory.  On that basis he recommended to Truman that the US should not involve itself more deeply in China's troubles.   Predictably, the communists won control of China.  Chiang Kai Shek, the nationalist president, later said that nationalist China had lost the war because it had "rotted from within."  Marshall had resolutely resisted the idea of direct US involvement with its own ground forces in the outcome of the civil war.  For that he was pilloried by the extreme right; Joe McCarthy, Joe Alsop, the John Birch Society and by others of that ilk as one of the men who "lost China."  This theme has been an ongoing motif of the hard right in the US ever since.  Romney moved decisively away from allegiance with that wing of his party in this praise of Marshall. 

Today, Steve Clemons and David Ignatius attacked Romney's praise of Marshall in separate columns.  These attacks were not on the basis of the old China nonsense.  No.  These attacks were squarely based on Marshall's advice as Secretary of State to Truman that he not commit the United States to recognition of Israel in 1948 (or any other time).  In this advice he was joined by James V. Forrestal, George F. Kennan, Robert Lovett, John J. McCloy, Paul Nitze and Dean Acheson.  Marshall foresaw that the independance of Israel would lead to an unending series of wars, the displacement of vast numbers of people from their native lands and a greatly increased burden of hostility to be borne by the United States on behalf of a small country in a far away place.  Both Ignatius and Clemons acknowledge the results of American recognition but nevertheless assert that Marshall was "wrong."

He was wrong?  How was he wrong in his judgment?  He was wrong?  Ah, he was wrong from the point of view of columnists who know which side of the bread is buttered.  That's how he was wrong.

Romney has portrayed himself as the "next best thing" to an Israeli.  You have to wonder what he thought he was doing in this speech.    He must have known that the Israel first crowd would react.  pl 

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/10/mitt-romney-george-marshall-and-israel-palestine/263365/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/does-romney-truly-understand-the-middle-east-revolution/2012/10/09/ac623cce-1204-11e2-ba83-a7a396e6b2a7_blog.html

Iran supplies Syria via Iraqi airspace. - The Pilot

 

"American senators visiting Iraq warned the Baghdad government Wednesday that it risked damaging relations with the U.S. if it is allowing Iran to fly over its airspace to deliver weapons to Syria. An Iraqi government spokesman responded by saying Iran has told Baghdad the flights to Syria are only delivering humanitarian aid. He said the onus is on the U.S. to offer up proof that Tehran is shipping weapons. Senator Joe Lieberman, an Independent from Connecticut, said Iraq's failure to stop the flights could threaten the long-term relationship with the U.S. as well as aid Iraq could receive as part of a 2008 strategic pact between the two nations. "Bottom line, this kind of problem with these Iranian overflights can make it more difficult to proceed with the Strategic Framework Agreement in the manner that the prime minister and we would like to see happen," Lieberman told reporters in Baghdad. "So I hope this is cleared up quickly." "  Pilotonline

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So, "Deputy Dog" (Jon Stewart's pet name for him) "hopes this is cleared up quickly."  Do the fabulous threesome, (McCain, Lieberman and Graham) realize how foolish they look and how much they are being mocked by Maliki and Company?  Do they?  Have they no pride?  Have they no shame?  Perhaps they are taking lessons in foreign affairs from Bibi and the other Lieberman.  That pair have done so well with their BHO relationship.

Seriously, sort of,  IMO Iraq think the idea of a long term "strategic" relationssip with the USA to be a bad joke, a joke so bad that it cries out for mockery.

They are allowing the use of their airspace for re-supply?  Wait until they figure out a way to run convoys across northern Iraq to Syria.  The Syrian jihadi guerrillas should not prove an impenetrable obstacle to that.  And... the other end of that supply line can have a branch that runs to Russia...

Meanwhile, on HC's trip to China things did not go well.  The Chinese basically told her "NO!"  We run our policy about Syria, not you.  She would have been better off if she had gone to the convention.  pl  

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_IRAQ_US?SITE=VANOV&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-09-05-11-20-28

China Warns Australia to Choose "Godfather" - China or U.S. - Oilprice

"It is rare in diplomatic circles for governments to speak bluntly, particularly in the Orient, where manners are highly prized.

The exceptions to this rule are retired military officers, who are often able to voice sentiments too impolitic for other channels.

One of the more startling pronouncements in this vein occurred last week when Song Xiaojun, a former senior officer of the People's Liberation Army, warned that Australia cannot juggle its relationships with the United States and China indefinitely and "Australia has to find a godfather sooner or later. Australia always has to depend on somebody else, whether it is to be the 'son' of the US or 'son' of China. (It) depends on who is more powerful, and based on the strategic environment." Noting the rising importance of China as an export market Song added that Australia depended on exporting iron ore to China "to feed itself," but "Frankly, it has not done well politically.""  Oilprice

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Australians?  What say you?  pl

http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/China-Warns-Australia-to-Choose-Godfather-China-or-US.html

Barry Lando - a new correspondent

Barry Lando has asked me to post a few of his papers by way of introduction.  These appeared this week in a couple of the bigger blogs.  These overlap a bit but are worth a read.  pl

Download China and Iran1

Download Gulf OIl and China blog2

Download Gulf OIl and China's waynofn

Pakistan wants a Chinese naval base.

According to this article Pakistan is pressing China to construct a naval port at Gwadar in SW Pakistan on the Arabian Sea.   China has already taken over  (at Pakistan's request) the little used commercial port at Gwadar.  Karachi is Pakistan's major port.

The Chinese are apparently reluctant to make an overseas naval commitment of this scope.  Such a naval base would be Pakistani but dual use by the two countries seems likely.  The same article mentions a separate possible Chinese naval base in Sri Lanka.

Uighur Muslim guerrillas are active in Chinese teritory in Sinkiang.  These are reported in this piece to be trained in camps in Pakistani Waziristan.  The Chinese are interested in establishing a ground military presence in the north of Pakistan to put an end to that training and support.

IMO all of this is related to the rapidly disintegrating relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the one hand and the United States on the other.  pl

 http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/MJ26Df03.html

 

 

The Jews of China

Adam L. Silverman, PhD*

In the comments to Mr. Habakkuk's most recent post, commenter Dag asked if there were, indeed, Jews in China.  The answer is yes, but there are very, very few left.  Above you can see drawings of the exterior and interior of the Jewish Temple at Kaifeng, which is where the very small remnant of China's Jewish community survives.  The history of Judaism in China is long, dating at least to the 8th Century BCE, but references to what appear to be China can be found in the book of Isaiah and communities of Jews have been documented in China as far back as the 1st Century BCE, if not earlier.  I even remember once seeing a reference, while studying comparative religion for one of my master's degrees, that one of the oldest extant pieces of writing ever found was an ancient Chinese dialect written in paleo-Hebrew script found in a cave along what came to be called the Silk Road.  While that is most likely an apocryphal and mythological reference, it should provide some indication as to just how far back the group of people that would eventually become known as the Jews have been interacting with the Far East**.  Once the Jews got to China they were very successful.  Unlike most of their interactions when going west into Europe, they were far better able to enter the societies and cultures in Central, Southeast, and East Asia.  For instance, in India Jews found a way to work themselves into the caste system and became very successful members of society in Cochin and the same was ultimately true in China.***  

Jewish succes in China was partially the result of the communities acceptance by the Confucian Emperor under the restored Song Dynasty.  Imperial edict allowed the Chinese Jews to participate in the civil service and there are a number of surviving records of Jewish mandarins.  According to some traditions once the synagogue complex was built at Kaifeng the Emperor is said to have sent the community a gift: Confucian ancestor worship fire pots.  The story goes that the Jewish community, not wishing to offend the Emperor found a way to work the Confucian ritual objects into their worship by simply adapting their use.  When reciting the lines of the Amidah (The Eighteen Benedictions), the synagogue authorities would light the fire pots upon reaching the portions dealing with the Jewish patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (crisis averted...).  

#Military Coup in Yemen? - Yusuf al-Misry

 
The First Armored Division of the Yemeni Army declared this morning that it is taking the side of the protestors in Sanna.

It was joined an hour later by another division and then more units. I believe the the two commanders of the defected divisions belong to the Bakil tribe.

The elders of the tribe declared a week ago that they are taking the side of the protestors. Both are Northern.  There are many questions now about the impact on al- Qaida organization particularly in the South. It is unlikely at this juncture that the voices for secession will rise at least for now. In all this mess, there is a good opportunity that an inclusive equation will emerge. It will be a very tough call but it is worth every bit of effort. Looking at the situation I believe that we are heading for a long period of a very messy process in Yemen though one can only hope it will end with a stable Yemen.

What happens in Yemen will have a very loud echo in the Arabian Peninsula. The role of Saudi Arabia will be crucial.  This necessitates an immediate dialogue between Washington and Riyad.  If left on their own, the Saudi will turn to be part of the problems we are about to see not part of the solution.  

Yusuf al-Misry

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These army mutinies will probably finish off Ali Abdullah Salih.   He is a Hashid tribesman from among the enemies of the Bakil from whence the mutineers originated.  Yemen is an intensely tribal society in the areas away from Sanaa and Aden.  The tribal element in this should not be minimized.  Awlaki the AQAP leader is from way down in the SE of the cuntry.  The coup has nothinh to do with him/them.  Will a new government cooperate as much with the US against AQAP?  Probably not.

Saudi Arabia?  They are going to move much closer to China in terms of business, defense, etc.  the government there has decided that the US is a faithless friend and that they must find other protectors.  they are not going to help us much.  pl

Neil Richardson - commenting on the National Journal Blog item.

"History indicates that coalitions arise against hegemonic powers, or powers with hegemonic ("fullspectrum dominance" pretensions. Thus, given the fixed hegemonic ambitions of the US foreign policy elite, various combinations balancing the US (albeit declining) might be expected. China plus Japan, China plus Japan and Russia with the EU taking a pass, or whatever. On the other hand, there are those hoping for something like: India plus Japan (and Australia) with the US against China."

Dear Prof. Kiracofe: I think we have to be cautious in using historical analogies relating to coalition-building against hegemonic powers.