Reason.com
The Straight Talk Orient Express
In August, a Chinese diplomat politely offered his opinion that the U.S. government should "shut up and keep quiet" about increases in about Chinese defense spending. Now, according to McClatchy's China correspondant Tim Johnson, that same guy is being rewarded for his subtle use of appropriate diplomatic channels:
The “un-diplomatic” diplomat, Sha Zukang, just won a plum assignment near the top of the United Nations hierarchy. He’ll be undersecretary of economic and social affairs, a post just under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon....
Sha threw diplomatic language to the winds last August when he told the BBC that the Bush administration has no place criticizing increases in Chinese military spending. . . . His statements raised hackles in Washington, but heartened Chinese who have grown weary of U.S. criticism of the nation’s rise.
As the Worldwide Standard's Michael Goldfarb notes: "Sha has blazed a trail for all those young internationalists aspiring to a career in world government. You want to get ahead? Just tell the United States to go f%&# itself."
Most Popular Stories
- Here Are the 15 Senators Who Voted to Stop Armed FDA Agents From Conducting Warrantless Raids on America's Farmers (Not One of Them is a Democrat) (5.24)
- When Government Privileges Trump the Rights of Citizens (5.25)
- Rand Paul Amendment to Stop Armed FDA Agents From Raiding Farms Fails, 78-15 (5.24)
- Is the Ron Paul the Best Hope for Progressives? (5.25)
- Friday Funnies (5.25)
Reason RUPE: Public Opinion Survey
- Reason-Rupe: Wisconsinites Favor Increasing Public Union Retirement Contributions to Address Budget Deficit (5.25)
- Reason-Rupe Poll Finds Support for Public Union Reforms (5.25)
- New Poll: Obama Leads Romney In Wisconsin, But Gary Johnson Could Impact the Race (5.24)
- Wisconsin Recall: Walker Leads Barrett 50-42 Among Likely Voters (5.24)
- Reason-Rupe Poll: Walker Leads Barrett 50-42, Obama Leads Romney 46-36 (5.24)
advertisements
Reason on Facebook
Reason on Twitter
Reason on YouTube
Reason RSSGet Reason E-mail Updates!
Manage your Reason e-mail list subscriptionsSite comments/questions:
Media Inquiries and Reprint Permissions:
(310) 367-6109
Editorial & Production Offices:
3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-2245
Editor's Note: We invite comments and request that they be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of Reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment or disable your ability to comment for any reason at any time.
|2.12.07 @ 5:33PM|#
Does he have a large mustache?
wingnutx|2.12.07 @ 5:47PM|#
Sounds like Nobel material.
|2.12.07 @ 5:52PM|#
"Sounds like Nobel material."
All he has to do now is criticize Israel when it tries to defend itself.
|2.12.07 @ 5:54PM|#
I wonder what the Bush Admin's reaction would be if China criticized our increased non-defense spending.
|2.12.07 @ 6:47PM|#
I wonder what the Bush Admin's reaction would be if China criticized our increased non-defense spending.
Or our defense spending.
|2.12.07 @ 7:01PM|#
Probably about the same, although we wouldn't (a) do it in public or (b) get rewarded by the UN kleptocracy.
|2.12.07 @ 8:23PM|#
?
Excuse me, but I don't see why anyone should get bent out of shape because the Chinese tell the US to MYOB.
Jobriath|2.12.07 @ 8:56PM|#
I say we add them to the axis of evil. The millions of oppressed peasants and fu shueng practitioners will greet us as liberators.
|2.12.07 @ 10:07PM|#
The U.S. is in no position to give lectures on military spending, that's for sure.
|2.12.07 @ 10:17PM|#
Hey United States government, go f% yourself. Can I get a promotion now? Oh... excuse me.
Who is it?
DHS who?
Hey, whaharummmphhh!!
|2.13.07 @ 12:04AM|#
Anyone can tell the US to go fuck itself. The trick is to actually get it to fuck off.