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China - Secular Oligarchy & Sustainability

Reader comment on item: What Rex Tillerson Thinks
in response to reader comment: Secular democracy in the so called Islamic land is everyone's business

Submitted by Robert (United States), Jan 10, 2017 at 14:31

Dear Prashant,

I like you because I love India. When I first learned my math history, I was taught that we eventually acquired the Arabic Numerals, 0, 1 ... 9, which replaced the Roman, I, V, X, L, C .... Only later did I discover that these were re-labeled the Hindu-Arabic Numerals - since the Arabs merely transmitted these to the West from the Hindus.

Unfortunately, however, you seem only to focus on your experience with Muslim Pakistan, which though it is a Secular Republic, I gather you do not consider it a Secular Republic.

However, (mainland) China too is Secular. But it isn't a Democracy. It is ruled by the Communist Party; but it may not even be an Oligarchy, if the is ruled from the top down by President Xi.

Perhaps your argument should be that no Dictatorship, Autocracy, or Authoritarian Regime like the Theocracy of Iran, is ultimately UNSUSTAINABLE. However, from that it does not follow that the United States should engage in Regime Change, or even in State Building, since this appears not to be possible in every instance without huge investments in Money and Time.

Places like France, Germany, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, etc., were a success, when the United States disengaged.

So it seems the only course left is Realpolitik of the kind engaged by Henry Kissinger - who is advising the Trump administration, which any close reading of the news media shows.

The good thing about Rex (a King?) is that in being from the Business world, he isn't prejudiced by any ideology, or Diplomatic protocols, or Foreign Policy doctrines. He reminds me of the Godfather movies, and especially of Lucky Luciano's Organized Crime. And during World War Two the United States did contact Luciano in order to secure the Docks against Nazi Sabotage.

So, if you cannot destroy Dictatorships, the next alternative is working with them until they Implode by themselves - as was the case with the Soviet Union.

I am only guessing, but it seems that Rex is in an excellent position to make a deal with Orthodox Christian Putin against the current belligerent stands of not Democratic Communist China.

But the issue here, in this Web space is the Middle East. And here we know of Trump's extremely strong affinity towards Israel. Israel is an extremely strong power on the border of failed-state Syria. We also know how Trump views almost-nuclear Ayatollah-ruled Iran.

I forecast Rex to ally with Israel, and make the Muslim fanatics "offers they cannot refuse" - which they will, but at their own extremely high costs.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (31) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Obama and tyrants [68 words]helenJan 13, 2017 13:13235317
Rex Tillerson, a true climate believer - NOT [91 words]ThomasJJan 8, 2017 12:38235209
3Tabula Rasa: "Make America Great Again" [414 words]RobertJan 8, 2017 11:53235208
American Business [96 words]diana s. hamiltonJan 11, 2017 16:12235208
Chill out! [128 words]Elspeth R HuntJan 8, 2017 02:31235202
1Caste distinctions are out-of-place in America [83 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Michael SJan 8, 2017 01:36235200
I think the next four years will be good for America, compared to the past 28 [325 words]Michael SJan 11, 2017 04:00235200
1Allowing a fallacious critique of Rex Tillerson shows bias [271 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Rich McJan 7, 2017 23:37235199
Hit piece on Tillerson [49 words]dgdJan 7, 2017 21:00235195
1So what [10 words]RealityCheckJan 7, 2017 20:30235191
1Funny how Democrats didn't mind Obama's sucking up to Erdogan [41 words]AnonJan 7, 2017 19:07235189
Re dictators... [89 words]KephaJan 27, 2017 20:27235189
2Bob who? [132 words]WartyJan 7, 2017 18:59235188
Tillerson [39 words]Fred SchwartzJan 7, 2017 18:22235187
1Shallow Thinking Makes For Weak Convictions [131 words]DaveJan 7, 2017 18:15235186
1Cuba [130 words]GaryJan 7, 2017 17:53235185
Tillerson As Sec of State [97 words]Martin SchaffelJan 7, 2017 15:37235184
1Tillerson [16 words]Morrie AmitayJan 7, 2017 15:16235183
4Ridding the Mideast of Authoritarian figures [97 words]Steve KleinJan 7, 2017 15:04235182
1Secular democracy in the so called Islamic land is everyone's business [152 words]PrashantJan 7, 2017 22:06235182
1The intent of Reader Steve Klein's message was not very clear [195 words]PrashantJan 8, 2017 14:47235182
Prashant, you understood my intent perfectly [101 words]Steve KleinJan 10, 2017 10:55235182
China - Secular Oligarchy & Sustainability [432 words]RobertJan 10, 2017 14:31235182
It's time for America to rally around our chosen leader [Trump] and stand up to our enemies. [747 words]Michael SJan 12, 2017 15:53235182
knowledge of the outside world [111 words]Erin CorriganJan 7, 2017 15:02235181
2Menendez 's take on Tillerson? Really? [67 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
PA StrongJan 7, 2017 14:40235180
...and I guess I wonder why don't. [7 words]P.A StrongJan 7, 2017 20:46235180
Is Cuba Really Going to be Trump's Foreign Policy Center Piece? [395 words]M ToveyJan 9, 2017 11:07235180
Businessmen can be leaders too -- and make money at it! [474 words]Michael SJan 10, 2017 10:50235180
1So much Kabuki theatre [283 words]jd willJan 14, 2017 13:24235180
3Time for a Different Strategy [38 words]Barry BlackJan 7, 2017 14:33235179

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