THE ROVING EYE China: We don't do shutdowns

[unhappycamper]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/CHIN-02-041013.html



THE ROVING EYE China: We don't do shutdowns
Oct 4, '13
By Pepe Escobar

~snip~

It's a bit of a problem when you announce - with great fanfare, and at the Pentagon, of all places - a "pivoting to Asia" to enhance the role of "Asia Pacific to US prosperity and security", and you cannot even pivot yourself to Asia for a few days to pitch it in person. In fact there's no pivoting to being with - at least for now. The Obama administration has been focused not only on two immensely complex dossiers - Syria and Iran - but also trying to contain Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's dementia in Israel and the increasingly fearful and paranoid House of Saud.

So what would Obama have been up to in Asia? Well, in the Philippines he would have tried to clinch a deal for "greater flexibility" for the Pentagon to use military bases. To say that is "controversial" is a huge understatement.

And in Malaysia, Obama would have pushed harder for the already infamous Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) - essentially a corporate racket that is a great deal for US multinationals but not exactly for Asian interests. TPP is the American answer to China boosting its already massive business ties all over Asia.

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohammad has seen TPP - which excludes China - for what it is, and he's absolutely not convinced TPP will allow Malaysia easier access to the American market.