U.S. Trade Competition Heats Up - Obama Lost It

The upcoming APEC meeting is in Beijing, China this November, 2014. APEC, Asian Pacific Economic Summit, comprising of twenty-one 'Pacific Rim' countries seek to promote their free trade area of the immediate region. Its goal is to bring up their standards of living and education through sustainable growth in agriculture and raw materials in spite of the declining demand in Europe as well as promoting regional area pride. Admirable and industrious as these people are, they are motivated more about Japan's industrial strength and dominance in the region too. 

It was certainly as some said a "oneupmanship" on Obama when China invited India to attend the APEC conference too. In recognizing India as a regional powerhouse, China in the role of the conference host nation invited them to attend the meeting as an observer again in spite of reservations within the membership that exist for unresolved issues. Not physically situated on the Pacific Rim per se, India's strategic geographical position assures thoughtful consideration to their membership for continuing success in APEC nations transporting goods in the international ocean shipping lanes. China recognizes their important strategic role in APEC too. 

There is also a coziness between India and Russia which some Western observers interpret as incongruous.  However, upon closer observation, they are sympatico partners within a region that shares borders as well as partisan, nationalistic bickering that goes back decades, if not centuries, such as being wary partners of China at their borders. India has an active border dispute with China now. Another shared concern are the violent Islamic militant movements within both their countries to overturn these non-sectarian societies with solely radical Sharia laws and Muslim beliefs-- whether it be Atheism, Christianity or Hinduism.

In the recent Ukraine debacle the West opposed Russian encroachment intoObama leads with growing the U.S. debt owed to China? a sovereign country. India, however, supported Russia in her fight. Why? On the surface one appreciates an opposition view of it. However, if it is seen as an Indian then it becomes blurred. Pakistan comes to mind as India believes that it is an integral part of India's provincial boundaries like the Ukraine. 

India today is very different from the West despite being a liberal democracy. India’s narrative often does not fully buy into the current 'liberal world order' that Barack Obama supports. India proudly proclaims its own independent sovereignty. That may offer an insight about Barack Obama’s relative indifference towards maintaining a close relationship with India. Obama further does not fathom the interdependency of world trade issues involved with the United States or understand how to deal with its foreign affairs. 

At the recent BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, So. Africa) summit in Brazil, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted that “if you ask anyone among the more than one billion people living in India who is our country’s greatest friend, every person, every child knows that it is Russia.” As lovingly as it sounds, coincidentally, India needs Russia's future support to persuade China to back its bid for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. India and China have rivalry for Asian influence and still are far apart on border disputes for the foreseeable future.  But, time will soon settle it as China has recently begun to reach out to India because, like Russia, it believes that a truly regional pan-Asian bloc like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is only fully possible with India’s cooperation and membership. Russia advocates this united front as it relishes to stand up as a power economically against the West.

APEC 2013 Russia - Kerry lectures Putin.So, if I correctly understand this, these member SCO nations have individual agendas based upon mutual cooperation to fulfill their objectives aimed at growing their economies apart from Western markets to compete to the ultimate detriment of the United States. China is again proposing to change the position of the U.S. dollar as the main currency to their Yuan as trade payments which further affects U.S. currency markets and our economy. Where's John Kerry and our state department negotiations going on in this burgeoning trade competition? 

Is it any wonder that the United States has any friends left with the International relations shambles Barack Obama has created? As long as Obama doles dough out he can buy countries to talk to him. After all, he gave Iran $7 Billion dollars in sequestered funds to continue dragging on the nuclear power talks with John Kerry until after the November, 2014 elections to avoid negative publicity of more foreign policy failure. Are they our new "Frienemy" now?

In this increasingly competitive world of economies, it's past time to appoint anWheat & Weeds Harvest omsbudsman to investigate our State Department and identify weaknesses. Our foreign policy now comprises of foreign aid payments which increases as we need to pay out more to have friendly nations. It is quite apparent with our weak President, staff and advisors the path to our own economic downfall is assured. We will plant our future with weeds instead of seeds and will harvest what we reap; it's plowing time and the soil has to be turned in this Fall 2014 Elections.

Get out and Vote for a Change!