The way some pundits get a thrill up their leg thinking about the wise policies possible if we could only be China for a day, this has got to make them envious (tip to Instapundit):
China is beefing up its presence in the Caribbean and making it clear that the region is a strategic priority going forward. Over the past few months, Beijing has begun investing hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure investment in countries very much in need of that money, still recovering from Hurricane Sandy. ...
China isn’t matching its funding with political demands yet, but it isn’t hard to imagine this influx of money swaying the minds of Caribbean people frustrated with a lack of US engagement. Greasing the struggling economies of the region is a quick way to build up Beijing’s soft power there. This is significant because, in addition to increasing China’s global clout, having friends in the Caribbean is useful in international organizations.
Funny, I remember when buying allies was wrong:
[The] U.S. public should carefully scrutinize any claim by the Bush Administration that they have assembled a “coalition of the willing.” Almost all, by our count, join only through coercion, bullying, bribery, or the implied threat of U.S. action that would directly damage the interests of the country. This “coalition of the coerced” stands in direct conflict with democracy.
Well, to be fair, China wasn't doing the buying ten years ago. Big difference.
