Market Mad House

In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. Friedrich Nietzsche

My Thoughts

China Needs to Take Action on US and Iran

daniel , , ,

The People’s Republic of China needs to take action in the increasingly stupid and senseless conflict between the US and Iran.

Both the United States and Iran are engaging in pointless provocation and arrogant posturing that could quickly spiral out of control. For instance, the Trump administration withdrew from the nuclear accords and is now increasing the American military presence in the Persian Gulf. Meanwhile, Iran’s “supreme leader” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says US President Donald J. Trump (R-New York) is not worthy of talking too, MSNBC claims.

The behavior on both sides of this pointless dispute is utterly stupid. Trump and company believe US military force is a magic wand that can resolve the situation. Worse, Khamenei believes Trump is a nuisance who will simply go away if he ignores the President. Even though Trump himself says he wants Iran’s leaders to call him.

What we need to resolve this situation is direct face-to-face negotiations between the USA and Iran. Unfortunately, that is not happening, and is unlikely to happen until after somebody gets killed.

Where is China? 

However, there is one country that can force an end to this stupidity: China. The People’s Republic is the one country with the economic clout to force both sides the bargaining table.

I think Chinese President Xi Jinping needs to step up and take a role in dispute. For instance, by telling Iran’s leaders “no trade unless you call Trump and talk.” Additionally, there is pressure the Chinese can put on Trump. Refusing to negotiate on any trade issue until Trump calls Tehran, for example.

Thus, China’s failure to exercise any leadership could be the biggest cause of this mess. Hopefully, it will not take war; and burning oil fields, to force China to act like a responsible Great Power.

Consequently, the real problem in today’s world is not the growth of Chinese power, as racist American foreign policy “experts” claim. Instead, the real threat to peace is China’s failure to use that power.

“Today we have learned in the agony of war that great power involves great responsibility,” President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D-New York) in a script for an undelivered speech 1945. See Quote Investigator for the full story.