You should see more. While I whole-heartedly reject the notion that Americans are less aware of the outside world by much than are citizens of other nations (Chinese and South Koreans know much less of American than they think, for example), I shout from the mountaintops that they are not aware of exactly what is going on in Asia. These are profound geopolitical changes that are taking place, and taking place rapidly. It is mind-boggling to me that not only are we on the verge of seeing a flip in the distribution of geopolitical influence, coming to fruition in a matter of years, but there is _zero_ discussion about this. There's little even on a place like Free Republic, much less anywhere else in mainstream discussion. And our leaders (all of them, regardless of affiliation) are doing little more than fiddling, repeating their respective mantras on the 'war on terror' and Iraq. Meanwhile Asia is moving in leaps and bounds away from us, decades of careful foreign policy just tattering into the wind, as though we barely even notice it. Asia does not care about the war on terror beyond narrow security concerns, nor does most of Asia really care about Iraq other than its usefulness in bogging us down, distracting us and giving them something with which to blacken our eye. Asia cares about regional security, about business and trade, about business and trade, about business and trade and about business and trade. When America comes for the fourth or fifth time to regional organizations ostensibly revolving around trade and speaks 90% about terror, member states don't have to dig deep to see where their bread is increasingly being buttered, and in many cases already being buttered in the majority. China has put on a charm offensive for nearly a half decade now. We send our secretary of state around for a few days. We come to trade meetings talking of terror. China comes and fills the leadership void, offering contracts and agreements and aid at those same trade meetings. How long do you think it's going to be before eyes turn only briefly toward the U.S.? Answer: Well, apparently less than five years.
If people don't think we have not just shot ourselves in the foot but blown both of our shins off in Asia - well, I can't blame you, no one's really been showing you the scope of what's been taking place.
Yes, and we also show up asking to borrow yet more money.