As China's economy posts rapid growth, on the order of 9.5% last year, so does its military. Recently, the Chinese government approved a 12.6 percent increase in its defense spending; spending that has increased by double digits for the last 15 years. And most Western analysts say that the actual spending by China on defense is three for four time greater than the official number.
Ever since the incident at Tiananmen Square in 1989, when pro-Democracy demonstrators were brutally put down by the Chinese military, the US and the EU have enforced an arms embargo on China. Recently, the EU has been inclined to lift that embargo and once again sell arms and advanced weaponry to one of the most rapidly growing economies in the world. But when China passed a law that would allow them to take military action against Taiwan if it seceeded, the EU reconsidered.
Well most of the EU, that is. France and Germany are still pushing for a lifting of the arms embargo, and not only is the US opposed, but Japan is not too happy about it either.
Oh, and by the way, neither is Richard Gere.
Democracy is a process not an event. In Iraq, the StrategyPage points out that neither terrorism, nor crime, nor political instability are the biggest problems being faced by the country:
All of those are easy to solve compared to the biggest, and most persistent problem; corruption. Lack of fair and efficient government has been a problem in this region for thousands of years.
The successful pro-Democracy movement in Kyrgyzstan is aslo finding that installing democratic institutions is not as easy as it looks.
Widespread reforms are desperately needed to wipe out corruption and soften the authoritarian regime bequeathed by President Askar Akayev’s 14-year rule.
But Kyrgyzstan’s new rulers, preoccupied with political infighting and a battle against mobs of looters, appear to be getting a slow start on reforms.
Perhaps the slow grinding pace of creating consenus and coalitions along with rooting out corruption and making public figures accountable is why dictators have such good success: people tend to want to see things get done without a lot of fuss.
But as R.J. Rummel points out, political and economic freedom give people what they want: security and affluence. This is why people want to immigrate to the US. And this is why people want to change their own governments.
The current wave of pro-Democracy uprisings is having varying results. In Lebanon, Syria is striking back by creating social instability. In Belarus, the iron fisted government is jailing demonstrators. Iran is not so tolerant either. And Egypt is not sure which way it wants to go.
Yet despite this, more countires are becoming inclined to gain what we in the US have; and Mongolia is the newest member of this rapidly growing club.
But the road is long and hard. Longer than the term of the current President.
And I hope that this country will continue to elect Presidents that are willing to support these fledgling movements.
Because you can't rely on the UN to do it.