Most national security analysts see the provocative second nuclear test by North Korea as a direct “poke” at Barack Obama — testing his resolve in a high stakes international stand-off and demanding senior level US attention.
This is my incredible view of Shanghai from a Le Royal Meridien hotel room. Just arrived. If you stay here, ask for Elisa from the Starwood team — who is an incredible bundle of smart energy for arriving weary guests.
(Washington Note blogger Steve Clemons at BYD Auto Headquarters in Shenzhen, China; photo credit: Peter Pi) A few months ago, I joined an unusual meeting sponsored in part by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
Lieutenant General James Lovelace may only have the safety of his soldiers in mind at Camp Doha — but quite a bunch of these soldiers don’t feel much love for him because of the obsessive compulsion he has to see all of his military lads wear “reflective attire” as they walk from one point to…
The United States is engaged in too many wars at the same time and is convincing too many other nation states that it cannot achieve the ends it sets out for itself.
(Former Foreign Minister of China Li Zhaoxing and Washington Note blogger Steve Clemons; photo credit: Peter Pi) The above picture was taken in Beijing with Li Zhaoxing, who served as former Ambassador of China to the US and then served as China’s Foreign Minister.
(Washington Note publisher Steve Clemons with State Council Information Office Vice Minister Qian Xiaoquian) As of the end of 2008, China claimed 298 million “netizens” — or regular users of the internet. At that same benchmark in time, China had 162 million blog sites and 117 million mobile internet users.
This is just a brief note checking in from China. I am currently in Beijing and heading to Wuxi City today. The above picture was taken with some fantastic Mongolian Chinese singers and performers at a restaurant I loved.
Well, I’m in Beijing — and Deborah Cameron‘s big morning radio show is in Sydney and can be listened to here on Wednesday morning’s Asia time — or Tuesday evenings back where I usually am in Washington.
Helene Cooper’s scoop that former US Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad is working to arrange a deal with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to serve as “CEO” of Afghanistan is fascinating — but also troubling.
