Monday, April 14, 2008
The End of Containment
Ray Takeyh and I argued in Sunday's Boston Globe why we are going to keep finding it harder to pressure other states to do our bidding.
We noted, "With only a few exceptions - countries almost completely dependent on the United States for trade - economic sanctions against a country will work only if all major economic players, but especially China, support them. If Washington is unwilling or unable to bring Beijing on board, US-driven measures may hurt a country but be insufficient to change its behavior."
We wrote this essay before the latest developments in Tibet had erupted--but I don't think that changes any part of the dilemma we say Washington now finds itself in.
We noted, "With only a few exceptions - countries almost completely dependent on the United States for trade - economic sanctions against a country will work only if all major economic players, but especially China, support them. If Washington is unwilling or unable to bring Beijing on board, US-driven measures may hurt a country but be insufficient to change its behavior."
We wrote this essay before the latest developments in Tibet had erupted--but I don't think that changes any part of the dilemma we say Washington now finds itself in.
