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.
(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics) Just a quick follow up on Steve’s post from yesterday on China’s obsession with creating jobs – and the disturbing lack of such an obsession here in Washington. I recommend reading this speech delivered by InterMedia Partners Managing Partner and New America Foundation/Smart Globalization Initiative Chairman Leo Hindery.
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.
Dick Cheney’s post-office media tour has reached an unprecedented level. Today the American Enterprise Institute hosted the suddenly chatty former vice-president for a speech on national security. This was conveniently scheduled to air immediately after President Obama’s national security speech at the Archives.
Win Monroe is a research intern at the New America Foundation/American Strategy Program. The reactions, commentary and analysis of Obama’s meeting with Netanyahu have varied widely in their assessments of Obama’s performance.
Nader Mousavizadeh, a former special assistant to Kofi Annan, provides a fresh, critical perspective on the Obama administration’s policy toward Iran in an op-ed in today’s Washington Post. According to Mousavizadeh, the Obama administration needs to focus on Iran’s intentions rather than its capabilities.
I suspect that the number of issues on which Condi Rice, Henry Kissinger, Bob Rubin, Paul Volcker, Tony Lake and James Baker all agree is small. But earlier this week, they and eight others of similar stature signed a letter to congressional leaders urging support for additional US funding for the International Monetary Fund.
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.
