"Learn me something, Dr. Cole."

I digressed.

Yesterday morning, I saw the charming Adele Stan on C-Span. Ms. Stan is the Washington Bureau Chief of AlterNet.Org. She is a ‘Progressive’(Ahem). It was love at first sight. Ms. Stan pushed all my right buttons when conversing with the moderator and answering questions from call-in viewers.

I had heard of AlterNet. Org but never visited the website. After Ms. Stans’ segment on Washington Journal, I went to the website and bumped into a lengthy article by Dr. Juan Cole who teaches History at the University of Michigan. I had also heard of Dr. Cole but do not recall reading anything he had written. Long story short, Dr. Cole has a lot to say and says it well.

"Lay on, Dr. Cole, and don’t spare my ed.chu.muh.cation. I’m all ears!"

Asian Powers Are Starting to Call the Shots, and the US Can't Do Anything About It
by Juan Cole

Excerpt:
Given tensions between Washington and Beijing over the massive balance of trade deficit the U.S. is running with China (which the Obama administration attributes, in part, to an overvalued Chinese currency), not to speak of other contentious issues, Iran may not loom large in their discussions. One reason for this may be that, frustrating as Chinese stonewalling on its currency may seem, they are likely to give even less ground on relations with Iran -- especially since they know that Washington can’t do much about it. Another fraught issue is China’s plan to build a nuclear reactor for Pakistan, something that also alarms Islamabad’s nuclear rival, India.

And

If you want to measure the scope of American decline since the height of the Cold War era, remember that back then Iran and Pakistan were American spheres of influence from which other great powers were excluded. Now, the best the U.S. can manage in Pakistan is the political (and military) equivalent of a condominium or perhaps a time-share -- and in Iran, nothing at all.

And

For purely self-interested reasons Prime Minister Singh has long taken the same position as the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives, urging Obama to postpone any plans to begin a drawdown in Afghanistan in the summer of 2011.

And

If the United States is to remain a global power, it is important that Washington offer something to the world besides arms and soldiers.
Read more at:
http://www.alternet.org/world/148829/asian_powers_are_starting_to_call_the_shots%2C_and_the_us_can%27t_do_anything_about_it/?page=1

As always,
BB