Hey ... speaking of sending messages, here's an oldie but goodie.
But I want to say that we are in the process of examining whether or not we should extend Permanent Normal Trading Relations with China.May 10, 2001 -- Cohen -- Defense LinkThis is a matter that was discussed most recently at the White House just yesterday. I see [former U.S. Ambassador to Japan] Mike Armacost somewhere in the audience and I believe you had the opportunity to attend what truly was a magnificent day at the White House, an historic day -- President Ford, President Carter, Secretary [of State Henry] Kissinger, Secretary [of State James] Baker, Secretary [of State Madeleine] Albright, the Vice President and the President of the United States all standing on one platform speaking to the audience that was filled with prior Cabinet members, ambassadors, distinguished diplomats, and academics.
It was a remarkable presentation on their part, giving us a whole spread of history from Gerald Ford, who said, "Back in 1949, I was a member of the United States Congress and I voted to establish trading relations with China."
He said, "You know who else was in the Congress?
John F. Kennedy, who voted for it.
And Richard Nixon voted for it.
Carl Albert, who became Speaker, voted for it."
Then, of course, the Vice President quickly called out to President Ford, "Al Gore, Sr. voted for it." [Laughter.]
But seeing that spread of history on that stage was a remarkable experience I think, and the message they all communicated, every single one, was essentially the same thing.
National Committee on U.S.-China Relations
Remarks As Delivered By Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen
Plaza Hotel, New York City, New York
Wednesday, September 8, 1999
But Henry, let me say thank you for all you have done over the years as a great public servant. Thank you for the great works you have written and thank you for the contribution you continue to make on behalf of this country in dealing with our relations with China.I'm a little bit challenged here this evening as I look out into the audience. ... Nonetheless, I will be brief because Henry, for some reason, is able to maintain his intelligence apparatus. He has virtually stolen everything I was going to say to you this evening. [Laughter.]
But there is a Chinese proverb that I'm familiar and it says, "When drinking the water, don't forget to remember those who dug the well." Tonight, I would just like to say that after over two decades of drinking from the well dug by Henry Kissinger and others who are here this evening, we are paying tribute to those who have worked so hard for so long to build a deep and abiding and enduring relationship with China.
From a 1996 briefing on the visit of Chinese Defense Minister Chi Hoatian
Q: What was his role in Tiananmen Square? What was his title then?A: He was Chief of the General Staff.
Q: What was his role?
A: When you say what was his role...
Q: Was he actually commanding troops that were involved in the...
A: As Chief of the General Staff he had overall control of Chinese armed forces. His direct personal role is very difficult for us to ascertain.
Most likely "personally opposed, BUT ..."
The Specifics of Perestroika in China
One last, if you don't mind, from the Cohen, Kissinger Brain Trust whose thinking on "security" -- strangely enough -- seems to have been on "Osama's" mind if the last-minute October Surprise which knocked this critical story off the front pages yesterday is any indication.
But I raised it in the context, and I don't want to delay all of this, but I raised it in the context -- I came back from a conference on terrorism back in 1980. I was over in, not Berlin, I was in Bonn, and I went to a conference on terrorism and I spoke there, Henry Kissinger was there, Helmut Schmidt was there, and as I came out of the hotel I saw the hotel was surrounded by APCs, armored personnel carriers. And all the soldiers or policemen had automatic weapons.4 Posted on 06/15/2001 16:03:25 PDT by Askel5I looked at that and I said, I wonder, would any American city allow VIPs to be protected by virtual tanks in the street? And it had been just after a guy named Schleier, a banker, had been assassinated, stuffed in his trunk of a Mercedes car, so there was real tension over there, and there was some real protection underway. I said no, it will never happen in the United States.
Then I said well wait a minute... What happens if the terrorists come to the United States and the bombs start going off, the killing starts here?
Would we as the American people, say protect our liberties or protect our lives? We've never had to have that debate at this point.
And so when you have an Oklahoma City bombing that's taken place, and you have others who may not be domestic but international, what will be the reaction of the American people?
Will they say the government's responsibility is to protect us, and we say absolutely, but how do we do that?
Do we do it through the local police? The National Guard? The Guard and Reserve? Or do we call upon the military in extremists to provide protection and to help with what they call consequence management?
DefenseLink -- Cohen Breakfast Meeting with Reporters in Washington, D.C. (1/11/2001)