Will China Try to Bring us Back from the Brink?

[berni_mccoy]

http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-04-13-voa2.cfm

China says it is sending a top envoy to Iran and Russia in an attempt to defuse Iran's nuclear standoff with the West.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday, that Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai will visit the two countries, starting Friday.

Earlier, China expressed concern at the United Nations over Iran's announcement that it has enriched uranium to nuclear power strength.

The United States has long accused Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons.

Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes only.

Note: China and Russia have an alliance (since 2002) with Iran. China is Iran's primary importer of oil. They have a vested interest in defusing this situation.

[Kutjara]

1. Knowing Monkeyboy...

...its more likely he'll start threatening to nuke China, too.

[Champion Jack]

13. Yeah, good fucking luck with that one

[benburch]

2. In thier best interests.

They are downwind.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

5. We're all downwind, aren't we?

[benburch]

7. Yes, but not as immediately.

China would have real issues with contaminated food and water if more than a couple of nukes get used in Iran.

[berni_mccoy]

9. Even if we don't use nukes....

It would devastate China economically to lose their primary source of oil (or to have it disrupted).

[benburch]

11. And note that we have NEVER gotten significant oil from Iraq.

In all these years of paying Haliburton, the oil still flows in a trickle.

[1932]

22. downwind? It's in their best interest because they need energy to fuel

the economic growth they have planned for next decades...

[paparush]

3. China Needs to Slap the Chimp down by divesting some of its

US DOLLARS...that would bring this cabal to heal.

[0007]

18. I think that move is right around the corner.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

4. What if China is telling Iran that China and Russia will honor...

...their agreements with Iran, even to the point of supporting Iran militarily?

How many more times will the NeoCon Junta be allowed to invade other nations?

[Freedom_from_Chains]

6. No, they are trying to set us up for defeat.

They know we have a complete idiot running the country and if they are ever going to be able to establish supremacy over us, now is the time. Unfortunately, I have to agree with them.

[hippiechick]

8. China huh ?

:tinfoilhat: And wasn't Poppy's big claim to fame that he was so integral in getting relations between the US and China on a more favorable path? Wasn't he the Ambassador once ?

Is it possible that he's called in old favors to help defuse his out-of-control son's newest gambol?

:shrug:

[BIgJohn83]

10. It's quite possible that Poppy's involved...

His son is clearly out of touch and out of control.

[benburch]

12. If he believes that...

he needs to SAY that.

[BIgJohn83]

15. I agree...thik maybe that's why Poppy & Dubya are strained right now...n/t

[msgadget]

21. Nothing tinfoil about that surmise

While the rightwing was blasting Clinton for China, Senior was their chief lobbyist. His son doesn't like to be seen with him or to appear to take advice from him though so we may never know for sure.

[Virginia Dare]

14. On the other hand...

China could use the Chimp's preemptive strikes on Iran and Iraq as an excuse to take Taiwan back. They've been increasingly rattling their swords louder and louder over Taiwan for a while now. Then India and Pakistan will decide to have it out once and for all.....

:scared:

[Thtwudbeme]

16. Taiwan is gone the minute the extinquish the olympic flame

that has been a given since China got the favored trading status thing, and the olympics.

The US will NOT honor our treaty with Taiwan.

They don't need the excuse of Iran.

[Virginia Dare]

17. Hadn't thought about the Olympic thing...

that's a good point. I've wondered since the invasion of Iraq what they were waiting for.

:hi:

[Thtwudbeme]

19. They won't show their hand on Taiwan till the last tourist has gone

home to talk about how gorgeous China is, and buy more junk from Walmart.

Rich Taiwan families have been leaving for years---the rich are usually the canaries in the coal mines of countries that are getting ready to have an invasion, or a big political swing to the left.

[AngryOldDem]

20. China won't stand for any action against Iran, period.

It's good they are also trying the "diplomatic route," and I believe they are more sincere about it than the U.S. is, but no way in hell will they let anything happen to Iran. And as someone else here said, it's doubtful that that will make any difference to Bush.

Honest to God, I don't ever remember being this frightened about the very bad course world events could take in a very short time. I've been noting that the administration is reading from the **very same script** it used in the weeks and months leading up to Iraq. Only the names have been changed. As much as I would like to think that sanity will ultimately prevail, I have a very sick feeling that minds are already made up. Just like with Iraq.

[Sinti]

23. For now, it may be China that's staying their hand.

I wonder if we could make some trade-offs with China to get them to look the other way. We could offer to look the other way on Taiwan when they invade/take it back, which we would do anyway.

We'd also have to give them strong assurances that they'd still have access to oil, to be certain. Perhaps Prince Bandar could go there, like he went to Russia, and convince them that nothing will change. The oil will continue to flow, it's just the sales clerk that's different. Do you think they'd fall for it?

There's probably more we could put on the table, but would they take it? Hmmm ...