Alex Thurston

China and the CIA

by Alex Thurston  ::  Filed Under Africa / Asia / Europe  ::  May 1st, 2008 @ 12:25 am EST

Is this a headline from The Onion?

China to be focus of U.S. attention in Asia: CIA

Gee, what a surprise. Probably warrants a major speech, eh? Glad you guys have figured out that China is important. I'd like to know what country the Asia experts at the CIA were focusing on previously - Thailand? Mongolia? How, oh how, did they ever hit on the idea that US intelligence efforts in Asia should focus on the world's most populous country, which is also a rising superpower?

Let's examine their staggering powers of deductive thinking:

China is likely to achieve great-power status this century and maintain a military buildup but is not an inevitable enemy, CIA Director Michael Hayden said on Wednesday.

China is an economic and strategic competitor with the United States, Hayden said in a Kansas speech on 21st-century trends, adding the country was likely to continue a "troubling" military buildup.

"China, a communist-led, nuclear state that aspires to — and will likely achieve — great power status during this century, will be the focus of U.S. attention (in Asia)," he said.

It all depends on whether China acts from a narrow self-interest or with broader perspective, Hayden said in a speech at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.

Wow, I feel safer. Maybe tomorrow you guys can issue a special report on what color the sky is.

DISCUSSION

One RESPONSE to “China and the CIA”

Joey Kittens says  ::  May 1st, 2008 @ 10:40 am EST

This whole article made me smile. Thanks,


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