Something's not right. Why did the Europeans fold on this? Heck, Spain just sold a boatload of biological and chemical weapons to Venezuela. So why would they not sell their arms to a much wealthier nation?

I've been concerned about China ever since Nixon "opened the door." We have a habit of arming our enemies, in one way or another. We fed the Soviets for years, while they threatened us and fought proxy wars against us in every corner of the world. (And we don't seem to learn, either. To wit, Palestine.) Would China be where it is today had we not begun trading with it, thereby making it possible for them to gain the kind of wealth and technology required even to dare to think of going against our interests?

But, China cannot make it in the free market, even with all our dollars, and they are in trouble economically. I don't care what the figures may say about the next five minutes, no centrally controlled economy, even one with so-called "free trade" zones, can sustain itself. They are in trouble once again and are using the age old ploy of stirring up the masses; oppressors must keep the finger pointed anywhere but at themselves. This is so common a practice all over the world, it is almost a cliché.

Taiwan became much more vulnerable the minute the towers fell and the U.S. found itself in a shooting war.

Unfortunately, for all our valiant efforts to control where and when we will fight, the whole world may yet explode. We must remember that, to power lusters, even the use of nuclear weapons will seem to be in their interest, because such people never think beyond their own hold on power. Only a fool would count on reasonable self-interest from such people.