News of the Day (December 20)

Communist China has second largest military budget on earth: Even when restricted only to spending publicly acknowledged, Communist China's "regular army and armed police expenditure reached 383.8 billion Yuan (about $ 49.2 billion)," which "exceeds the military expenditures of Britain, France, Russia and Japan and ranked as the second highest in the world" (Taiwan's Central News Agency via Epoch Times). Meanwhile, China Intel provides a reminder that the Communists probably spend much more secretly on its military, and a chilling hint as to why the Communists are building up their military in the first place.

Talks on Stalinist North Korea's nuclear ambitions drag on in Beijing: The talks have come no closer to an agreement (United Press Int'l via Washington Times), but they lasted long enough for Time to do a series of national profiles on the participants. Meanwhile, the United States is once again putting its eggs in Communist China's basket (Washington Times), and SNK continues to pump out propaganda (Daily NK).

More on Communist China and its Korean colony: The cadres are looking past Kim Jong-il, and imposing one of his sons on him as a successor (One Free Korea). Daily NK examines the financial penalties that are now at the heart of the talks. OFK has another example of lamentable behavior by South Korea's left.

Communist China slaps new curbs on foreign adoptions: While the requirement that foreign adoption applicants be married won praise in some quarters (National Review Online), it was merely one in a slew of social engineering restrictions (BBC and UPI via Washington Times).

E-Bay folds in Communist China: Another foreign firm that was supposed to change the culture of Communist China has fallen flat; in this case meekly becoming a minority partner in a joint venture (BBC).

Communist China putting Africa deeper into debt: As the rest of the world takes efforts to help African nations get out from under crippling debts, Communist China is replacing it with debt of its own making (Asia News).

Communists try protest leaders over land seizure: Seven farmers in Guangdong province "who led land protests in southern China" (Washington Post) are not on trial for "extortion." The protest began when local authorities seized the land for development.

Naval buildup aimed at Iran planned for Persian Gulf as Blair calls for anti-Iranian coalition: The U.S. military "is aggressively planning a naval buildup in the Persian Gulf, including the addition of a second aircraft carrier, in response to a series of aggressive actions by Iran" (MSNBC). Such aggressive actions by the Communist-backed mullahcracy include "interference in Iraq — including its support for Shiite militants and shipments of improvised explosive devices into the country — recent military naval exercises in the Gulf, and its pursuit of nuclear weapons." Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Tony Blair called for an "alliance of moderation" (BBC) arrayed against the mullahcracy.

More on Middle Eastern Proxy Number One: The mullahs continue their crackdown against Christians at home, even as Mahmoud the mouthpiece hectors Christians abroad (World Net Daily). Jeff Jacoby (Boston Globe) makes clear the mullahs' contempt for Israel - in their own words.

U.S. helping anti-Assad forces in Syria: Whether or not this information being in the public realm helps more than harms is an open question (NRO and Time); that said, it is good to know the Administration is aiding liberation in some form.

More on Middle Eastern Proxy Number Two: Bashar Assad visits Vladimir Putin (Cybercast News) and has some harsh words for the United States (Washington Times).