Written by Frank Li
By AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank), I mean the recent American debacle (AIIB Debacle: What Washington Should Do Now). By Ukraine, I mean everything that has happened to that country since 1991, when the Cold War ended.
AIIB and Ukraine are related, with respect to America, in the following way: America has failed to give her two most formidable competitors, China and Russia, the reasonable room to modestly expand their influence (China) or even breathing room to survive (Russia), resulting in not only an unprecedented close alliance between China and Russia (“The enemy of my enemy is my friend”), but also severely damaging America.
While America’s AIIB debacle has been widely recognized in America (e.g. US ‘screwed up’ handling of AIIB, says Albright), our failure in Ukraine is much less obvious to most Americans. So I’d like to add my thoughts …
1. AIIB
Here is an excerpt from AIIB – Wikipedia:
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is an international financial institution proposed by the government of China. The purpose of the multilateral development bank is to provide finance to infrastructure projects in the Asia region.[2] AIIB is regarded by some as a rival for the IMF, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB),[3] which are regarded as dominated by developed countries like the United States.[3] The United Nations has addressed the launch of AIIB as “scaling up financing for sustainable development”[4] for the concern of Global Economic Governance.[5]
How could America possibly think that it could actually prevent China, the soon-to-be largest economy in the world, from creating and leading a regional bank, whose purpose is to help some Asian countries develop infrastructures?
2. Ukraine
I have already published extensively on Ukraine. Here is a summary:
- After the Cold War ended in 1991, instead of seizing the opportunity for peace, America started aggressively spreading democracy worldwide and NATO progressively expanded into the East, ultimately to Ukraine, Russia’s front-door.
- Instead of supporting the democratically elected President Viktor Yanukovych, like Russia did, America supported the Ukrainian mobs to oust him!
- Instead of helping Russia transition from communism to democracy, America has been squeezing it, resulting in mutual hatred. For example, America keeps vilifying President Putin, one of the greatest leaders in Russia’s recent history, while Putin accuses ‘quasi partners’ of counting on Russia collapse.
For more on Ukraine, here are three informative readings:
- Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S.
- A Pseudo Conversation between John Kerry and Ukraine Leaders.
- A Pseudo Conversation between President Obama and Ukraine PM.
3. Discussion
Both examples illustrate America’s arrogance and sadly, her ignorance.
America is ignorant in that it truly believes and acts as if it were the only superpower left on earth after 1991, when the Cold War ended. The truth of the matter is that militarily, Russia has been even more dangerous to America than the USSR for two main reasons:
- For the first time, Russia has more deployed nuclear warheads than U.S.
- Russia’s nuclear warheads could more easily fall into the wrong hands, if Russia breaks down further, as America seems to be interested in assisting, including applying onerous, crippling sanctions recently!
America is arrogant in that we have continued to refuse to recognize China’s rising place in the world. Today, China has undeniably become a world superpower, contributing substantially to the world’s economy over the past three decades!
Yes, militarily, America is still the most powerful country in the world. But that really matters little to either China or Russia, thanks to their possession of WMDs as a deterrent to any real military threat. For more, read: Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Think, America, if you still can!
Specifically, America must amend its foreign policies, especially her strategic relationships with China and Russia. For more, read: Three New Kingdoms.
Given America’s failures in both AIIB and Ukraine as two extreme examples, what do you think of everything in between? America has no viable foreign strategy, and everything America does internationally is almost universally wrong. Four examples:
- The Iraq War: It was a crime against humanity (Desmond Tutu: Bush, Blair should face trial for Iraq War)!
- TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership): It appears to be a big deal in America (e.g. How the U.S. Can Counter China in Asia and The Trans-Pacific Partnership clause everyone should oppose), but it’s not really such a big deal for China. Why? China is already the biggest trading partner with most of the TPP countries! In terms of trade, China covets, successfully, the world. So America should concede Asia, at least – let Asians work their matters out by themselves. America should focus on the Americas instead.
- The South China Sea: While China’s recent assertive actions there are problematic, America must not get involved there for one main reason: It’s not worth it – too little to gain, but too much to lose! Once again, America should concede Asia, and focus on the Americas instead! Otherwise, China will have not only Asia, but also the Americas!
- Currency: “The IMF is close to declaring China’s yuan fairly valued for the first time in more than a decade, a milestone in the country’s efforts to open its economy that would blunt U.S. criticism of Beijing’s currency policy”. For more, read: IMF to Brighten View of China’s Yuan.
How can America be so wrong in foreign policy? America has lost all sense! For more, read my series: the America that can no longer think politically, diplomatically, militarily, or economically.
How could a sensible America have become so brainless? Thanks to democracy, as we practice it today! Specifically, self-serving politicians and Stupid Voters have formed a lethal combo in America!
To remain a superpower, America must:
- Reform our political system. Without it, America is hopeless and is becoming helpless!
- Focus on the economy at home. No country is strong without a strong economy at home and America’s economy is faltering!
- Stop exporting democracy, which does not even work at home!
4. Closing
America, reform our political system as I have suggested, or become an also-ran, second to China!
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