Great stuff.....really good run down. To caveate the last bit...as China becomes more industrial and less rural/agricultural...more tied to the West, the more dangerous any slow down in their progression becomes. The Chinese people don't have a great idea about the West but they have some idea and if u have cities filled with unemployed or underemployed folks.....coupled with an inability to feed em...u have two choices ultimately, distract them with a war or face a revolution. Historically this can be seen in alot of places. The Chocoms are doing their best to keep the massives, fed, employed and happy...cutting of the economic fatguy, us...isn't going to help that situation. I've been told by more then one person, Russia has much more to fear from China then we do.