We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Monday, January 23, 2012

Sheikhs fall in love with renminbi

Click here to access article by M K Bhadrakumar from Asia Times Online.

The author looks at Chinese relations with the Arab sheikhdoms and finds that the Chinese strategy of pursuing good relations with all parties while offering more direct trade using their solid currency, the renminbi, is being welcomed by Arab ruling circles that have previously been wedded to the US dollar. No doubt this is a direct challenge to US currency, and ultimately to the Empire.
Quite obviously, Persian Gulf countries are slowly, steadily probing their options in the Asia-Pacific to diversify their external relations that have been traditionally riveted to the West. With Europe in serious disarray and the US in decline and its reputation in the Middle East significantly dented, this trend is likely to become pronounced.