Saturday 5 November 2022

“The avoidable US-China war -- a conversation with Condolezza Rice and Kevin Rudd"

Click above for the whole video
With h/t to an Occasional Reader.
This is an interesting talk. Well worth an hour of your time to listen to two people who do know what they’re talking about, and from different political perspectives, Condi being a Rep and Kevin ex Labor PM of Australia. 
It would be nice if it had time stamps. At around here is talk of Rudd’s views of Xi Jinping. On this point, note: all people who meet face-to-face with world leaders tend to speak highly of them. Their comments tend to be encomiums. Think W. Bush and Putin: “I looked into his eyes and saw his soul”. Sean Penn with Chavez; many with Che; many with Mao. Even people who meet Hitler, talked of his charisma. So there’s that. But a little while later on that, Rudd talks more about Xi’s aims for his life, which -- can we know? -- but seem fair given what Xi’s written. 
War, “Avoidable”? Who knows. I tend these days to the thought that humankind wants war. Not always. And during a war, wants to end it. But when there’s a period of tension, we just seem to want it. 
Thoughts on the QUAD