Half Pregnant and Eating One's cake

The manner that countries handle crises can be quite revealing. There was a time when there was a very distinctive approach between full democracies and that of state controlled and dictatorships. That has since evaporated as the world became more flat in Thomas Friedman mold. This author you might recognize is that perennial globalization optimist from the New York Times that saw only positive results akin to a level playing field from commerce, technology and outsourcing as exuded by the likes of emerging economic powerhouses such as India and China.
In 2004 Russia’s democratic patience was tested when it was forced to react swiftly to deal with Chechnya freedom fighters and hostage takers that held more than 1000 people including children for more than 62 hrs in a school sweltering gymnasium, as they refused to let in food or water. The draconian reaction was very forceful by the Russians determine to stave off any propaganda credits for the Muslim separatists rebels. [1]This was reminiscent of that levied on the nation from time to time by the KGB and military during the heyday of communism. The world cringed in horror, but was impotent to do anything as Russian President Putin was quick to indicate their equivalent to September and also a war upon terror.
First there was the SARS epidemic that exposed an inadequate health program and a penchant for deceit, now there is deadly earthquake in Sichuan province have taken thousands of lives, left thousand homeless and perhaps might stand a good chance to halt China’s chance at holding a puppet show of progress and democracy via a useless summer Olympics. A few pandering politicians and celebrities have given lip service by pretending to be disgust at China’s human record with respect to Tibetans and obstructionist behavior at the Security Council in defense of Sudanese Muslim tyrants so as to guarantee its supply of oil to feed hungry industrial domestic machinery. By an large the country is getting low marks for response, infrastructure and other areas of neglect as it tries to put forward a fake image in an effort to allay fears and indicate to the all that all is fine in the borderline capitalist country. Very few are falling for the propaganda diatribe with the exception of the brain washed and gullible party hacks that are willing to believe that democracy is alive and well in China. Both countries of Russia and China are having the best of both worlds. That is, pretending to be capitalist democracies while simultaneously behaving like tyrants .Both are useful members in the international community whose actions and influence can have a huge impact on far reaching affairs. If Russia can only manage affairs in Oil rich Central Asia neighbors then perhaps the Middle East stranglehold on the west might be history. If China can deal within with its Taiwanese, Tibetan, Sudan and similar domestic human rights affairs greater results might accrue. But then to have one’s cake and eating it is not too bad a proposition as well.