Dandy.
I defer to you on all matters Roman.
I SHALL NOT squabble about it, or much else for that matter *.

The relevant point is about the United States.

And I don't recall IF posting here undermining that point, questioning its validity.

* I passed through puberty decades ago.
I leave pointless squabbling to those that have not.

No.
Not literally.
Not figuratively.

Apple, reportedly the most wealthy company in the world (richer than Microsoft, richer than ExxonMobil), wasn't "bending over backwards" having all their high-tech gear produced in China.
If Japan, or Germany, or South Korea had underbid China, but Apple had the work done in China anyway, I'd say yes.

We trade with China because, numerous exceptions and problems acknowledged, we get good results.

Yes.
Despite that.

IV:
I'd enjoy living in an ideal world just as much as you would.

a) It doesn't exist.

b) I doubt anyone can name any $trading $partner that does over a $Billion worth of $business a year, that doesn't have "issues" of one sort or another.
We have them with China.
And China has them with US.
That's the way it is.

Who is?
I merely note, some have said China's capitalist efforts are outperforming the capitalists.

"Moving away from"?
Augmenting?

Do you deny the rate of change in China is nearly apace with that in the West?

IV:
Hitler is a name synonymous with bad-guy, with "killer".
But Stalin (a U.S. ally in WWII) killed more humans than Hitler did.
And Chairman Mao killed more humans than Stalin did.

The difference?
Stalin killed in binges that were called "purges".

Chairman Mao killed his millions with his "agricultural reforms". Mao starved them to death.

But China's peasant subsistence farmers are no longer limited to Mao's dictates.

I'm not saying they've thrown away the little red book.
At my last check, there's still a large portrait of Mao overlooking Tian’anmen Square.

- But Mao didn't dredge ocean bottom to try to turn reefs into islands, and then claim territorial sovereignty of them.

- Mao didn't buy up mining contracts all over the world.

- Mao didn't make any moves for high speed passenger rail.

Mao's China was insular, turned inward.
Today's China is coming out; as their gracious hosting of the Olympics demonstrated.

China can be our enemy.
Or China can be our friend.

For now, it's our choice.
I hope we don't squander the opportunity; for there may come a day when we no longer have that choice.

No. I have not read it.
But I looked over Sun Tzu's The Art Of War, required reading at the U.S. military academy at West Point, NY.

As you have mentioned copyright, I'll add that Sun Tzu's book is no longer copyright protected, and can be downloaded for free.
I prefer the .pdf format.

Deception is a part of warfare IV.
I doubt it sets China apart.

a) What is the relevance of the title to the topic?

b) No.
What Obama said was:

Nit-picking his comment with contractual legal precision might find a few flaws.

But as a general rule, what I've read of it indicates it tends to be true.
Citing anecdotal exceptions is pointless.

What's relevant is per capita statistics.

I eagerly invite anyone here to post that, with authentication link.

Good points.
And while Detective LTme would track down the contractor lead on the investigation, it's already been reported their tools were all accounted for:

and

as Mitchell is reportedly cooperating, she's already given LEO information on what tools she provided. Whether what she provided was both truthful and complete, may yet to be determined.

I spoke with a NY C.O. before this manhunt. I didn't ask him about psych. evals.
While my paramilitary experience is limited, my military experience would include evaluating subordinates in the command.
If I had reason to question a matter of significance, I'd share that up the chain of command, particularly in jobs as sensitive as those in prison.

I'm not suggesting a prison seamstress has a paramilitary rank.
But I'd like to believe her supervisor has some chain-of-command connection to the warden.

I turned 60 last year S2.
One of the most important lessons I've learned about human nature, and understanding is:
When Bruce sees Sally's conduct, doesn't understand it, and concludes:
- I Bruce don't understand it, therefore Sally's an idiot. -
generally it's Bruce that's the idiot.

This entire charade seems to be a botch from the start.

- How was Mitchell even able to pass the psych. qual. for employment in prison?
- Why was she allowed the kind of access necessary for her to cooperate with the prisoners as she did?
- How could the power tool use be conducted without any C.O. noticing? I'd definitely want that one looked into. Heads should ROLL on that one! And if the prison isn't doing periodic* bed checks, they should be.
- And I agree, the reporting has been bizarre; disclosing details that should not be; and omitting details that should be included.

If I may add to this ramble:
On the Jon Benet Ramsey's murder:
despite the fact a detective on the case said into the camera:
we're continuing the investigation, we're examining the evidence, we're narrowing down the suspects, and soon our investigation will lead to you (the murderer).
The murderer was never caught.

A few days into this manhunt, a State Trooper made a similar statement:
we will catch these guys.

In both cases, it seems like desperation to me.

I'm disinclined to simply assume - therefore Sally's an idiot. -
But at this point, it seems to me the security workers at this ostensibly high security NY prison, and the commanders running the manhunt are as sharp as bowling balls.

* hourly may be excessive; random would be more useful; at unpredictable intervals a few times each night; but at least with an open microphone on each cell block; if not a C.O. on station

PS

Subsequent report indicates the sighting was a week ago.
That increases it to 40 miles a day, that's over 3 miles an hour (a brisk walk) for 12 hours a day.

- or -

stealing bicycles
car-jacking
car theft
train-hopping
etc.

Perhaps it's remotely possible these are two exceptionally talented individuals.
One report I saw suggested one of them was a skilled graphic artist, that did commercial grade shaded pencil sketch portraits.

Still can't tell if they're outsmarting the police, or if the police couldn't find their own butts in the shower.

300 miles in 2 weeks is over 20 miles a day.

That's not too tough a schedule for a well rested person with a bulging wallet, who can stop an any Greasy Spoon along the way to strap on the feed-bag, or shower, etc.

BUT!!

If you're dumpster diving for scraps, supplementing your diet with worms, and staying off major roads so as not to be identified; bushwhacking at over 20 miles a day is a respectable athletic accomplishment.

Sustaining that pace for two weeks, without so much as a warm bed?

Count me a skeptic.

To what? Bad hair day?

I agree that a shrewd businessman with some executive experience would make a very attractive candidate.

We already had that.
His name was Romney. And even he washed out.
You think Romney will fail, but Trump will succeed?!

If you're willing to wager a $million on that, please have your attorney contact my attorney, so they can draw up the contract, and put the assets in escrow, pending the election outcome.

PS
It's already been suggested that Trump will exit before it is necessary for him to submit financial disclosure.
That wouldn't surprise me.

What a refreshing start to my day B1 !

Thank you.

?!
Is China winning your heart & mind because it's violating copyright, & counterfeiting trademarks, etc.?

There's more to achieving global hegemony than lax enforcement.

The U.S. is killing suspects with drone strikes.
China is building roads and digging safe water wells.

I agree.
The US is drawing China into polarized opposition because it has no good reason to...

China is not yet a threat to us ...

Right.
That's subject to change as we plummet toward the 21st Century.

Do not static model a dynamic system.
Know it or not, believe it or not, like it or not, admit it or not; China is on the move!

The Soviet Union collapsed in part due to inept central (politburo) planning.
Good riddance.

But China's politburo is damned near brilliant.
China has been accused of doing capitalism better than the capitalists.
China got high-speed rail in a fraction of the time it'd have taken in the West.

I wouldn't call rendering a few rocky reefs by dredging material onto them is "deception".
I'm not calling it fair.
But I do believe it strengthens their claim in the territorial dispute.

I don't think China is particularly Maoist in 2015. If it is, I'm not seeing it.
Mao's agricultural reforms have been abandoned.
Some of the most successful aspects of China are those most Westernized.
Hong Kong has taught the mainland a stunning lesson. In one 99 year lease, Hong Kong left the mainland in the dust.

All that, and much, MUCH more!
I'm not suggesting we should be friends with China because they're so warm and fizzy.

I'm suggesting; geo-strategically, economically, we're better off with China as a friend, than an enemy.

And thus, a brilliant, well chosen example of what a formidable foe China could be; and yet one more example of why we're better off not getting on China's bad side.

You're RIGHT!
The rules aren't binding on China.
That's the kind of loose cannon you want to install a U.S. burr under the saddle?

PS
Yes. That's right. "Fizzy".

Perhaps Uncle Sam needs a big dose of the Serenity Prayer:

I'm particularly concerned about Obama's Asian pivot.

As I understand China's 100 year plan, China's diminutive but powerful politburo intends to have China as the global leader within a century.

I'd like to see the U.S. befriend China, rather than draw it into polarized opposition.

Why must we make so many enemies?!

Yes S6,
Getting it wrong might gum up the works.

IV,
I wouldn't over-interpret / misinterpret "over-extended".
It can mean a wide variety of things; but basically means that the government's resources are inadequate.

Can we really look at the U.S. federal debt in excess of $18 $Trillion, and say we're not over-extended?
Can we really read a quotation like this:

Does Canada, or some other fairly Western governed nation you'd prefer to compare it to, do that?

"When your outgo exceeds your income,
the upshot will be your downfall." Paul Harvey

Yes.
That was my error.
Thank you for the correction.

My intended point was being over-extended can lead to downfall.
It's a risk imperial powers run.

Related:

IF,
Why was the Western Roman Empire unable to defend against the barbarian onslaught?
Was it not at least in part because it was over-extended?

Thanks again IF.

IF
Do you deny since WWII, U.S. foreign policy has become more Machiavellian than before? And that the U.S. is about the most imperial power on Earth today?
If not U.S., who?

I'm not sure why.

I understand.
Some economists scale federal debt to GDP, and some of those that do say we're not wildly beyond what is survivable.

I'm not sure that's all there is to it.
I'm not predicting doom; although even the more responsible economists acknowledge the current rate of deficits isn't sustainable.

But my objection to deficits are several.
My two main reasons:
- We're spending the money of citizens that haven't been born yet.
That violates one of the Founding principles of the United States of America. It is literally: taxation without representation.

- Another main reason:

If hope I have not missed your point IF.

I guess one must read the book to get the joke.

I'm not in to chick-lit, or soft porn.

I don't know who "Joe" is.
Posters here self-identify by pseudonym.

But I consider mw's:

not merely relevant, but prescient.

We know it is a fatal path.
And yet it is the path we are on.

And the U.S. has over $18 $Trillion in debt to show for it.

Compared to what?

L2, the topic is:

mw then commented on the "Roman Empire".

That introduces the issue of military; a prominent feature of U.S. foreign policy.

The United States military is a U.S. federal government function.
Even the State militias that report to their State's governor, owe their allegiance to the president, our CIC.

If you have missed the significance of mw's point,
the Holy Roman Empire over-extended itself, and thereby extinguished itself.
You think that's not material to the U.S.?

We may already be over-extended.

- We are not the solar-system's policeman.

- And we ought not continue to play the role of the planet's vigilante'.

Is that relevant to:

Of course.
It's an on topic discussion about the relevance of government.

And if you know of a better comparison for U.S. military spending than other NATO member nations, please share.