Tuesday, December 19, 2006

News of the Day (December 19)

Chatham House sees Communist China as a "megapower" by 2020: The outgoing head of the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London (Chatham House is its colloquial name) warned the world of "the swift emergence of China as the second megapower would transform the world's strategic map" (United Press International via Washington Times). Professor Victor Bulmer-Thomas made clear Communist China's continuing geopolitical rise would be no peaceful endeavor: "it is unrealistic to imagine that the United States will not resist strongly the erosion of its privileged status - particularly when the new megapower is so fundamentally opposed to U.S. values in religion and personal freedom" (emphasis added). Unfortunately, there was no mention of the regime's current actions against the United States.

Six-party talks ongoing: Stalinist North Korea is now talking to American negotiators one-on-one over certain things; more ominously, the U.S. "wants to revive a deal reached in September 2005" (BBC, said 2005 "deal" was a debacle). The Stalinists want the counterfeiting penalties and sanctions from UN resolution 1718 to be lifted (Daily NK and Washington Times), although the latter has already been rendered moot thanks to SNK's Communist Chinese allies (One Free Korea). Meanwhile, South Korea attempted to showcase Ukraine as a denuclearization model (UPI via Washington Times).

Walmart becomes a CCP recruiter: One of the major American retailers that is supposed to change the political culture of China (if the "engagement" folks are to be believed) is in fact being changed by the Communist regime. In accordance with the regime's demands, Walmart is now setting up Party cells in its stores (World Net Daily).

Speaking of American businesses co-opted to do the Communists bidding: Thembi Mutch (BBC) examines the Communists' crackdown against the internet, and how American tech firms are helping them.

Exhibit on the Falun Gong War comes to Naples, Florida: The Epoch Times reports.

President Bush signs India nuclear deal legislation: The signing ceremony finalizes the much-needed nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and India (Washington Post).

On to the Middle Eastern Proxies: The Communist-backed mullahcracy of Iran is using its thugs to find the Ahmadinejad speech protestors (Guardian, hat tip David Frum). Russia is still pushing for a nuclear-plant size loophole in proposed UN sanctions against the mullahs (UPI via Washington Times). The Pentagon now labels Tehran proxy Muqtada al-Sadr as "the gravest danger to the security and stability of Iraq, surpassing Sunni Arab insurgents and Al Qaeda terrorists" (Los Angeles Times, hat tip Andy McCarthy, National Review Online). The mullahcracy is also upping its Hezbollah support to $200 million a year (NRO).

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