As I grew up I could not help but notice the tremendous amounts of money the Unites States was spending on keeping the "red threat" in check. I even became somewhat convinced that this threat was indeed real. In 1998 the United States is still flexing it's muscles in it's treatment of Cuba, but the situation with China has changed indeed.

While Americans seem not overly concerned with the government's treatment of Cuba, their behaviour with regards to purchasing products made in China suggests allowing the products of the latter country into the U.S. is reason to celebrate. Nor does it matter that many human rights organizations still point to a myriad of violations occurring in China. Furthermore, that China is an essentially agnostic country does not appear to hinder the purchase of billions of dollars of christmas presents annualy.

In the July 3, 1998 issue of the Daily Breeze appears an account of how Hughes Space and Communications, a major U.S. satellite maker, employs the son of a general of the People's Liberation Army as a satellite project manager and computer scientist. The State Department is currently investigating the role played by this young man,

In a July issue of Investors Business Daily appears an article outlining the relations of President Clinton and his Vice President with various powerful Chinese. In addition to the mention of millions of dollars in contributions to the Democrats by these persons, the relations of these individuals to the Peoples Liberation Army is outlined. In light of the four hour testimony of the president with regards to the Monica Lewinsky affair, which has just aired on television, it seems only natural to ponder what exactly the president was discussing with these Chinese individuals.