Why Is America So Busy?

Published in Xinhua
(China) on 17 July 2012
by Wang Piyi (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Peter Nix. Edited by Lydia Dallett.
I just read an article titled, “Why is Hillary so Busy?” How busy Hillary is can be expressed with a single number, the article said. Hillary Clinton has already visited more than 100 countries, surpassing Albright’s 96 and Rice’s 85 to become the secretary of state who has visited the most countries in American history. That Hillary Clinton is busy demonstrates that America is busy.

America’s secretary of state is a position that is unique in the world. It is equivalent to a minister of foreign affairs, but for diplomatically busy America, the secretary of state is much more important than other secretaries. In recent years, any area in the world where there is conflict or national interest, America will make an appearance. Why is America so busy? For the sake of its global interests.

For several years, America has fought several lopsided wars against Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, etc. Although their opponent seems not to have had the strength to hit back, America considers that these wars were well fought. Its confidence has surged, and it has started to repeatedly assert its authority across the globe. Regarding Iran and Syria, America has recently been unable to hold itself back. Early this year, due to the Iranian nuclear issue, America and some European countries successively implemented sanctions on Iranian oil exports. Iran threatened that if sanctions were used against it, it would use military force to close down the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic choke point for global oil transport. America’s position was clear: if Iran used military force, America would unhesitatingly use military force to stop it. Regarding Syria, the Americans flew into a rage; at the “Friends of Syria” international conference on July 6, Clinton warned that Syrian President Assad’s fall was inevitable, and that countries that stood in the way were going to pay a price for it.

With Asian politics, America pays even closer attention. At present, the Pacific Rim joint military exercises that America has roped 22 countries into conducting are underway in the waters surrounding Hawaii. Starting from July 6, in only 13 short days, Clinton will visit nine countries in a whirlwind of diplomacy, and attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers’ conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. America is bombastically getting in on the action in the Pinnacle Islands and the South China Sea. Clinton repeatedly emphasized that America has a “fundamental interest” in the South China Sea, openly supporting every Association of Southeast Asian Nations member country to make the South China Sea issue more multilateral and complex. Furthermore, Clinton extended her hands toward the East China Sea; while visiting Japan she openly stated that while America hasn’t taken sides regarding the Pinnacle islands, the Pinnacle islands do fall under the “U.S.-Japan Security Treaty.”

The American government often pompously states that it “doesn’t take sides.” One ought to keep silent if one is not taking sides. A secretary of state making frequent visits is definitely not a reflection of “not taking sides"; rather, it is a reflection of “pursuing interests.” An intelligent superpower like America wouldn’t waste its efforts around the globe. They would only be so active where they have interests, regardless of whether those are political interests, military interests, or economic interests.


刚刚看了一篇题为《希拉里为什么那么忙?》的评论文章。文章说,希拉里·克林顿究竟有多忙,一个数字足以回答。希拉里·克林顿已经访问了100多个国家,超过了奥尔布赖特的96个和赖斯的85个,是美国历史上访问国家最多的国务卿。希拉里·克林顿的忙碌正说明美国的忙碌。

美国的国务卿是世界上独有的职位,相当于外交部长,但外交事务繁忙的美国,国务卿的重要程度大大高于其他部长。近年来,世界上有争端有利益的地方都会有美国出现。美国为什么那么忙?为了它在全球的利益。

近几年,美国与阿富汗、伊拉克、利比亚等国家打了几场不对称的战争,对手似乎没有还手之力,美国自认为这几仗打得漂亮,自信心暴涨,又开始屡屡在全世界发威。对于伊朗和叙利亚问题,美国最近实在按捺不住。今年初,由于伊朗核问题,美国和欧洲国家接连制裁伊朗石油出口。伊朗威胁说,如遭受制裁,将动用武力封锁霍尔木兹海峡。霍尔木兹海峡是全球石油运输的战略咽喉。美国方面态度明朗,如果伊朗动用武力,美国会毫不犹豫地武力阻止。对于叙利亚问题,美国方面暴跳如雷,7月6日,“叙利亚之友”国际会议召开,遭到中俄抵制,希拉里·克林顿警告说叙利亚总统巴沙尔下台大势不可挡,而挡路的中俄将付出代价。

对于亚洲事务,美国更是高度关注。时下,美国拉拢了22个国家进行的环太平洋联合军演正在太平洋夏威夷海域展开。从7月6日开始,希拉里·克林顿在短短13天内访问9国展开旋风式外交,并在柬埔寨金边出席了东盟外长会议。美国高调染指钓鱼岛和南海事务。希拉里·克林顿反复强调美国在南海拥有“基本利益”,公开支持个别东盟成员国将南海问题多边化和复杂化。更有甚者,希拉里·克林顿还把手伸向东海,访日期间公然表示虽然美国对钓鱼岛主权归属不采取立场,但钓鱼岛属于《美日安保条约》适用对象。

美国政府经常冠冕堂皇地表态说“不采取立场”。不采取立场就应该保持缄默才对。国务卿频繁出访绝不是“不采取立场”的体现,而是“追逐利益”的体现。美国这样一个聪明的超级大国绝不会在全世界白忙活,有利益它才会去忙,无论是政治利益、军事利益,还是经济利益。
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