I hesitated to use the above title, as its a bit over the top, and not completely in line with what I want to say, but it's too good, and will help to make my point
I woke up this morning to read about two completely unrelated world stories, to which the essence of this title speaks, both of which I found....compelling
The first was that China recently announced that starting immediately, it would suspend all imports of coal from North Korea until December 31. Coal is North Korea's largest export item. China said the move was designed to implement last November's UN Security Council resolution tightening sanctions against the North Korean regime in the wake of its last nuclear test. However since that resolution, China has continued to allow imports for "the people's well being". Experts in China affairs believe that the announcement of the import ban reflects Beijing's frustration with North Korea over its very recent missile test and the apparent assassination of Kim Jong Un's half brother in Malaysia (as reported in the Washington Post)
There was still a lot of negative news on the morning of February 19, 2017, but still, I thought it was a good day.
I woke up this morning to read about two completely unrelated world stories, to which the essence of this title speaks, both of which I found....compelling
The first was that China recently announced that starting immediately, it would suspend all imports of coal from North Korea until December 31. Coal is North Korea's largest export item. China said the move was designed to implement last November's UN Security Council resolution tightening sanctions against the North Korean regime in the wake of its last nuclear test. However since that resolution, China has continued to allow imports for "the people's well being". Experts in China affairs believe that the announcement of the import ban reflects Beijing's frustration with North Korea over its very recent missile test and the apparent assassination of Kim Jong Un's half brother in Malaysia (as reported in the Washington Post)
The second was Senator John McCain's comments challenging President Donald Trump's comment that "The FAKE NEWS.... is the enemy of the American people" and his general attacks on the media this week by noting dictators "get started by suppressing free press." "I hate the press," the Arizona Republican sarcastically told NBC News' Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press." "I hate you especially. But the fact is we need you. We need a free press. We must have it. It's vital." But he continued, "If you want to preserve -- I'm very serious now -- if you want to preserve democracy as we know it, you have to have a free and many times adversarial press," McCain said in the interview. "And without it, I am afraid that we would lose so much of our individual liberties over time. That's how dictators get started."
In the first story, China appears to be taking an important step in aligning itself in with the US and the rest of the free world, to apply pressure to its ally in the Far East to "stop with the stupid shit", to be blunt. In the second story, John McCain, longtime senator from Arizona. former POW and former Republican nominee for President (i.e. a player with lots of street cred) is aligning himself with comments from many Democrats to put pressure on HIS party's President to "stop with the stupid shit"
In both cases, two divergent groups/entities/countries: the US and China, Democrats and Republicans, found common ground upon which to act and upon which to speak. It is smart, intelligent and good for all involved. Good relationships, really start with something small, and grow slowly over time, allowing trust to develop. This is true of marriage, politics and diplomacy. We wont know for a long time if these small events will lead to better world, but without them, we are dead in the water.
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