The Cellar - View Single Post - Afghanistan was all about oil! Oops no it wasn't

elSicomoro · 02-09-2003, 12:17 PM

I don't necessarily disagree with you, Dave. But what you presented gives me more questions to ask:

Okay, so let's say that the 3 big dogs sitting on the fence go ahead and go with a new SC resolution. What are we trading that in for? I don't see us really convincing these folks that what the US and UK do is necessarily the right thing. I think it's going to cost us, much like it cost us more aid to Pakistan for their help.

So, what are we giving away for this? More aid to Russia and China (more $$$ that we don't have)? Some ridiculous trade agreement with France? An agreement to look the other way on, say, human rights issues in Russia, China, or France's former colonies? Or, do we abandon or modify our current policy with Taiwan?

While these folks are dependent on us to a degree, we're dependent on them too...to play nice and not stir shit up. With China, Russia, and the US, there are only so many little things each can get away with before someone cries foul. (And with China, we have to be especially careful, given the embassy incident in Yugoslavia and the dead pilot...even though one was an accident and the other appears to be the fault of the Chinese.)

France...I dunno. We could use their pharmaceuticals, and their wines and foods are good too. But they seem harmless compared to the other two...they're like one of those little yappie dogs that just barks incessantly, but doesn't really do much. But we do need a vote from them in the event of another UNSC resolution, or anything else we want to push through the SC.

02-09-2003, 12:17 PM	#21
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	I don't necessarily disagree with you, Dave. But what you presented gives me more questions to ask: Okay, so let's say that the 3 big dogs sitting on the fence go ahead and go with a new SC resolution. What are we trading that in for? I don't see us really convincing these folks that what the US and UK do is necessarily the right thing. I think it's going to cost us, much like it cost us more aid to Pakistan for their help. So, what are we giving away for this? More aid to Russia and China (more $$$ that we don't have)? Some ridiculous trade agreement with France? An agreement to look the other way on, say, human rights issues in Russia, China, or France's former colonies? Or, do we abandon or modify our current policy with Taiwan? While these folks are dependent on us to a degree, we're dependent on them too...to play nice and not stir shit up. With China, Russia, and the US, there are only so many little things each can get away with before someone cries foul. (And with China, we have to be especially careful, given the embassy incident in Yugoslavia and the dead pilot...even though one was an accident and the other appears to be the fault of the Chinese.) France...I dunno. We could use their pharmaceuticals, and their wines and foods are good too. But they seem harmless compared to the other two...they're like one of those little yappie dogs that just barks incessantly, but doesn't really do much. But we do need a vote from them in the event of another UNSC resolution, or anything else we want to push through the SC.