noting that you're obviously a networking expert (able to point-and-click his way through an IDE, getting a sourceforge account, and whatnot, and even able to code some php), I would like to point out that cables as such have no speed associated with them. also, asses typically grow on backwards. except maybe in your case. similar stuff applies to the rest of your comment. please think twice before you pollute the slashdot news-space the next time.
to assess whether "after 30 years, our policy of constructive engagement is clearly a failure," one should take into account the last 30 years; i.e. compare china 30 years ago with today's china.
thinking of, e.g. the cultural revolution, i would say that there are some "slight" differences, in contrast to cuba or iraq, where very many years of isolation have not weakened the local governments at all!
you should learn to differentiate between "country", "people", "nation" and last but not least "government".
what do you mean by "China is not a friendly country"? are "they" after our blonde and blue-eyed daughters/wives/mothers? or do "they" just want to eat our beloved dogs?
in fact, communism is THE NUMBER ONE materialisic ideology, since it has no values beyond the material ones, so they don't need to import that.
pretty much every country in this world (except for a few so-called "rogue states" -- cute concept by the way) has the "most favoured nation" trading status with the united states. that basically means that the US will not engage in some sort of trade war without a specific cause. nothing more.
economic embargos DO NOT destabilize autonomous, tyrannic goverments (cuba, iraq). they are just a tool to get votes in the US (see also "rogue states").
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noting that you're obviously a networking expert (able to point-and-click his way through an IDE, getting a sourceforge account, and whatnot, and even able to code some php), I would like to point out that cables as such have no speed associated with them. also, asses typically grow on backwards. except maybe in your case. similar stuff applies to the rest of your comment. please think twice before you pollute the slashdot news-space the next time.
also, dialling AOL from China wouldn't exactly be a HUGE gain, now would it ;-)
to assess whether "after 30 years, our policy of constructive engagement is clearly a failure," one should take into account the last 30 years; i.e. compare china 30 years ago with today's china.
thinking of, e.g. the cultural revolution, i would say that there are some "slight" differences, in contrast to cuba or iraq, where very many years of isolation have not weakened the local governments at all!
it's not like everyone in the US had enough to eat... those are two quite separate issues and should be treated accordingly.