I’ve been engaged in an interesting debate with New Republic Deputy Editor Richard Just about the Beijing Olympics and what posture America’s Commander-in-Chief should take regarding the games.
Hillary Clinton has been nudging George W. Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies. Barack Obama reports that he is of “two minds on the issue.”
I have filed my first entry, which Richard responded to. And then my response back is up at the New Republic site now. Richard Just will get the last word, which I haven’t seen yet (probably up later today).
In the second piece I mention a vignette about Wesley Clark and a trip I made with him in China as part of a McKinsey-sponsored US-China Partnership Forum conference which has not been previously reported. Some folks may find it interesting to know that China’s leadership was very worried about Taiwan exploiting China’s Olympics moment. They were wrong about the region that would take advantage of the world spotlight being focused on China’s leaders — but not about the prospect that some actors would move this direction, as independence-advocates in Tibet did.
I also published a piece on the same subject titled “Clinton has Strategic Blind Spot on China” in today’s Daily Yomiuri in Tokyo for those who want more on this subject.
— Steve Clemons
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